Cath Kidston the founder and creative director of the floral accessories business is to take a step back as of 5th December to become a non-executive director of the company she set up 21 years ago.

Cath Kidston‘s first shop opened in Holland Park in 1993 selling the vintage-style print, however, the brand is now sold in more than 170 stores across the globe including places such as China and France, and is now focusing on expanding into Asia. With the presences of international markets such as Indonesia and Signapore, by the end of March 2014 sales grew to £144 million.

In a statement, Ms Kidston said “When I opened my first shop in 1993 I never imagined that it would grow into a global phenomenon,” Ms Kidston said. “As the business grew, it became increasingly important to bring in people with the experience of running big businesses to manage that growth. I have said in the past that I will only know that I have done a good job if I manage to let go at some stage and allow the business to flourish without me.”

The UK will also see eight new stores opening in the near future.