Bags of money! Cath Kidston set for £250million flotation after huge success of those floral print bags Designer could make £50m from a potential sale She started her first shop selling tea-towels in 1994 Womenswear brand now has 200 stores all over the world She's the queen of twee whose colourful prints are snapped up my yummy mummies all over the world, but Cath Kidston is set to go from flower power to financial clout with her company set for a £250m flotation. The former furniture designer's distinctive brand has gone from strength to strength since she opened her first store in Holland Park in 1994 selling homemade tea towels. Then, the creative Kidston, once employed by interior designer Nick Haslam, would keep waiting customers happy by making them cups of tea. Grand opening: The news of a potential flotation follows the launch of Kidston's flagship Piccadilly store Distinctive: The designer has said her designs induce a 'marmite' like reaction, but the sale of the company could earn her £50m But things have moved on for the designer, who has just celebrated the opening of a flagship store in Piccadilly, London this week, adding to the 200 shops she has across the world. Her fans still queued at the opening of the three-storey superstore, but instead of a piping hot brew, the first 180 were given £180 worth of gift vouchers. The brand's relationship with loyal fans is what financiers believe will make Cath Kidston a powerhouse retail brand for years to come. Private equity firm owner, TA Associates have drafted in investment bank UBS to explore options for the womenswear retailer and she could earn £50m from the sale at the age of 55. Flower Power: Such is the global appeal of the brand, Cath Kidston has over 200 stores across the world including on in Shanghai Staple: Britain's 'yummy mummy' market is so hooked on Kidston bags, it is believed four are sold every five minutes She has sold a reported 60 per cent share in the business is expected to remain at the head of its operation in a 'creative director' capacity. Success story: Kidston, seen here with queuing fans, started her irst shop in 1994 selling tea-towels Such is the strength of the womenswear brand, the flotation is expected to attract the attention private equity firms as well as sovereign wealth funds. According to The Independent experts, Kidston sell four £50 Day bags every five minutes, in the UK and Europe and this year, turnover was over £100 million for the first time. The flotation announcement follows the marketing buzz which surrounded the launch of the new central London department store, where shoppers queued for three hours to take a look at exclusive lines and opening day deals. In a show of typical chintz, London taxis sporting the distinctive Kidston print drove out of a giant Christmas present to signal the opening. A statement from the company signalled their intentions ahead of a rumored flotation. It read: 'Cath Kidston is growing rapidly and has exciting plans to capitalise on the international appeal of its brand. In these circumstances it is prudent that the company and its owners should carefully assess the options available to take the company through the next stage in its evolution and UBS has been appointed to help. Speaking of her 'affordable yet aspirational' brand, Kidston has previously admitted that her designs often induce a 'marmite reaction', once saying: 'People either love it and want a little bit of it very much, or want to stab us.' Raised near Andover, in Hampshire, Cath Kidston is the grand granddaughter successful racing 1920's racing driver Glen Kidston and is the cousin of celebrity property expert Kirstie Allsopp. She moved to London when she was and entered the employment of interior designer Nicky Haslam. Both her parents died of cancer and Kidston herself was diagnosed with breast cancer, aged 37. After winning her battle against the illness, Kidston followed her passion for design and opened her first shop in Holland Park in 1994, selling hand-embroidered tea-towels and renovated furniture. After collaborations with furniture makers and clothing brands such as Milletts outdoorwear, the brand has gone from strength to strength and now has 200 stores worldwide. Kidston's partner is record producer Hugh Padgham, whom she met as while helping decorate his home. They have homes in Chiswick and Gloucestershire. Taxis covered in Cath Kidston prints burst out of a huge present at Marble Arch at the launch of the brand's new London store