THE fashion brands Karen Millen and Coast look likely to disappear from the high street after being bought by the internet “fast fashion” giant Boohoo.

The brands have 32 stores and 177 concessions – with Karen Millen at the Arcade in Bournemouth and Coast in the town’s House of Fraser.

The brands were put into administration yesterday before being immediately sold to Boohoo.

Administrators at Deloitte said the stores would continue to trade for a short time while they realise the company’s assets.

Boohoo said adding the brands to its roster, which includes PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal and MissPap, would help win customers in the crowded online fashion market.

Chief executive John Lyttle said: “The acquisition of the online business of two great and renowned British brands in Karen Millen and Coast represents another milestone in the group’s growth story as it continues to invest in its scalable multi-brand platform and gain further share in the global fashion e-commerce market.”

Karen Millen lost £5.7million in 2018 and £11.9m a year earlier. Coast has also struggled, in part due to its locations in several Debenhams and House of Fraser stores, which have both had their own challenges in recent years.

By comparison, boohoo revealed a 39 per cent jump in sales in the three months to May 31.

Retail analysts at Jefferies said investors should welcome the decision.