Peter Simon, founder of the British retail brands Monsoon and Accessorize, is set to offer nearly 300 works from his extensive art collection at auction next month. Christie’s estimates the sale’s total value to range between £87 million and £127 million. Simon’s collection includes pieces from artists such as Barbara Hepworth, Hurvin Anderson, Bridget Riley, Beatriz Milhazes, Francis Bacon, and Howard Hodgkin.

Simon’s interest in art developed alongside his fashion business, which began with a market stall on London’s Portobello Road in 1973 and has since expanded to over 300 stores globally. The Sri Lankan-born entrepreneur, known for pioneering boho-chic fashion in the 1970s, embraced a colorful and eclectic art style reflective of his brand’s aesthetic. His collection features works closely tied to fashion themes, including two shoe-related pieces by Andy Warhol—"Diamond Dust Shoes" (1980), valued at £1.8 million to £2.5 million, and "Untitled (Legs and High Heels)" (1955), with an estimate of £80,000 to £120,000.

Colour and vibrancy are central elements in many of Simon’s artworks. Notable pieces include two large-scale optical paintings by Bridget Riley from 1969 and 1979, estimated at up to £5 million and £5.5 million respectively, as well as Milhazes’s "O Mar" (1996), an organic and vibrant work reflecting a 1970s pop-artist style that, according to Simon, aligns with Monsoon’s brand identity. The collection also holds more intense and provocative works by Francis Bacon, among them "Study for a Figure" (c.1945) and "Figure in Movement" (1978), valued between £4 million and £18 million.

Simon’s engagement with art began in the 1990s after attending a British contemporary art exhibition at London’s Serpentine Galleries. He credits his early focus on artists like Bacon and Hodgkin for shaping his collecting journey. Simon recalls that the sale represents a "time of life" decision, motivated by a desire to "release possessions" and make room for new ventures. He plans to live with blank walls for a period but intends to continue collecting emerging artists with the proceeds from the sale.

Some key pieces will remain in Simon’s possession, including a limited-edition lithograph by Hodgkin titled "Monsoon" (1987–88). Simon’s collection spans beyond British art, influenced by his travels and encounters with global artists such as Cuban-born Tania Bruguera. He purchased Bruguera’s early work in the early 2000s during a business trip to Havana, though the accompanying investment in iron ore with partners proved unsuccessful.

Simon’s art collecting has been shaped by guidance from prominent figures including dealer Ivor Braka, gallerist Thomas Dane, former Tate director Nicholas Serota, and art adviser Henry Wyndham. While not all acquisitions have appreciated—Jeff Koons’s 1994 "Baroque Egg with Bow (Blue/Turquoise)" is now estimated at less than its 2012 purchase price—Simon remains an active collector, having recently acquired his third work by American artist Lynda Benglis.

Despite stepping back from the public aspects of his business after taking Monsoon private in 2007, Simon remains involved creatively and emphasizes the importance of tangible work and creativity in an increasingly digital world. He describes retirement as "a recipe for disaster" and underscores his ongoing enthusiasm for both art and design.