I Saw It First

I Saw It First, often styled ISAWITFIRST, is a British online fast-fashion retailer selling low-priced womenswear, including swimwear and lingerie, to a young customer. Its operating company, I Saw It First Limited, was incorporated in England in May 2016 and took its current name in June 2017. Since July 2022 it has been controlled by Frasers Group, the retail company built by Mike Ashley's Sports Direct and headquartered in Shirebrook, Derbyshire.

Three names in thirteen months

The company's early filings at Companies House tell a compact story. It was incorporated on May 17, 2016, as ISIF (UK) Ltd. On April 7, 2017, it became I Saw It First London Ltd, and on June 5, 2017, it settled on I Saw It First Limited. Its registered activity is the retail sale of clothing. The brand's public launch is usually dated to 2017, which matches the change of name, and the museum's older description of a 2017 start in Manchester is consistent with that, though the Manchester base could not be confirmed from the filings consulted.

The Kamani connection

From its early days the business sat close to the family behind Boohoo. Companies House records Jalal Kamani as a person with significant control of I Saw It First Limited from May 2017 until July 2022, holding between a quarter and three quarters of its shares at different times. A company called M&R Developments Limited also held voting rights from 2017 to 2021. Jalal Kamani co-founded Boohoo with his brother Mahmud, according to Wikipedia, and Mahmud's son Umar co-founded PrettyLittleThing, so I Saw It First grew up next door to two of the largest names in British online fast fashion.

That proximity also brought scrutiny. In July 2020, allegations were published about I Saw It First and Morefray Ltd, a supplier to Boohoo, over pay below the minimum wage and a failure to protect staff from coronavirus during the pandemic. Wikipedia's account names Jalal Kamani as owner in that context. The museum records the allegations as reported and found no finding against the brand in the sources it consulted.

Frasers takes control

On July 27, 2022, Frasers Group Trading Limited became the controlling shareholder of I Saw It First Limited, with more than 75 percent of the shares and voting rights. The Kamani interest ended at the same time, and the board was largely replaced within weeks. The company's registered office is now on Brook Park East Road in Shirebrook, the Derbyshire warehouse town that is home to Frasers.

The purchase fitted a pattern. In the same year Frasers bought the intellectual property of Missguided and its sister brand Mennace, as well as assets of the catalog retailer Studio Retail Group, picking up online fashion names that had struggled or changed hands. I Saw It First gave the group another online brand aimed at women in their late teens and twenties. Later filings show further changes of directors in 2024.

Swimwear and lingerie the fast-fashion way

The retailer's range follows the fast-fashion model: a broad catalog that turns over quickly, low prices, and heavy use of social media and influencers to sell new drops. Swimwear and lingerie sit inside that wider offer rather than leading it. In this part of the market, the typical pieces are bralettes, lace sets, triangle bikinis and high-leg bottoms, designed for a look and a season more than for long-term fit, and sold alongside dresses and going-out tops. The museum holds 37 products recorded under the I Saw It First name.

The retailer's own site would not load for the museum's research tool during several attempts, so this entry does not describe specific collections or prices.

Where I Saw It First stands

By its latest filings, I Saw It First Limited remained an active company with accounts filed for the year to April 2025 and a confirmation statement dated January 2026. Its registered office is still in Shirebrook, and its sole controlling shareholder is a Frasers company. A brand that began with three names in thirteen months beside the Kamani family business is now one of the smaller fashion labels inside a group better known for sports retail and House of Fraser.

Last updated October 7, 2026