A NEW distribution agency for fashion and accessories has been established by two Atherton business partners.

Laurence Brannigan and Paul Buchanan have a combined 50 years' experience in the trade.

And they hope their Creative Universe agency can assist everyone from start-ups to independent traders and high street names to either gain a foothold in the game or bolster their trading outlooks.

Luxury and fashion watches and jewellery and accessories such as cufflinks, belts and leather goods will all be covered by the duo.

Their first client, The Electricianz, a Swiss-based watch label inspired by electricity and art, is already signed up, as they look to bring their new Steel Z collection to UK consumers.

Laurence said: "We have founded and started this venture at a real pivotal moment for retail. The high street is starting to reopen and online sales are higher than ever, so now is the time for brands to be thinking about their sales strategy and which partners are best positioned to stock their products.

"The Creative Universe.Agency is an eclectic mix of my global scope and relationships, and Paul’s unrivalled UK knowledge and networking, ensuring that both our brand and the experience we can offer our clients is the best in the market today.

"With several exciting brands in the pipeline, we are looking forward to this new adventure and to working with some of the world’s leading players in the luxury fashion industry to build a robust presence in the UK market.”

Laurence and Paul most recently worked together as part of the Movado Group, the former in Switzerland and the latter in the UK, working with brands such as Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Scuderia Ferrari, Moavdo itself and EBEL.

The agency is looking to work with the likes of F.Hinds, Beaverbrooks and The Watches of Switzerland Group, as well as H Samuel and Ernest Jones.