Joules clothing has gone bust!

[Zrt]

I just heard on the radio. Don't know what others think but I used to love their brightly coloured pyjamas.

I love joules but they are way over priced...bit like Oliver Bonas....Boden....People just don't have the income to be spending anymore. These shops did nothing to try meet the market in the current climate when people are looking for affordable fashion especially when supermarkets like Sainsbury's TU range are good quality. Also 2nd hand fashion sites like Vinted are becoming more popular.

I have never bought anything from Joules, FatFace, Boden, Laura Ashley, The White Company, Cath Kidston and I have one top from Seasalt. I haven't bought from Next in well over 30 years, and I don't buy in M&S either. Can't have Primark either (although the offspring like their winter fluffy jammies). I've always preferred buying from independent shops, and mainly when they have a good sale on!

Joules has always puzzled me, I don't know know who it was supposed to be for. I live in a very working class town and know no one who would be seen dead in it, but I work in a posher place with mostly professional women and they wouldn't wear it either.

I have no sense of style and like things like Seasalt and White Stuff, but Joules has always been a step too far even for me.

Well, maybe their clientele are skint! People who wannabe posh?
Couldn’t stand the twee little rabbit logo, and that’s just the tip of the tweedy iceberg.

Best comment in a rather mean-spirited thread 😄😄😄

I love joules and I’m entirely sad about it.

It met the same fate as Jack Wills and other brands that people bought in order to look as if they fit in with some strange upper middle class ideal. Imagine being so insecure. Like the sad twats who hang around Salcombe dressed as if they might own a yacht. Eventually the brand becomes tarnished and too easily available. And the look becomes old hat as well.

Not that the Joules look was ever stylish. Yes, I am the poster who compared the Joules look to the wombles. Check out Alderney, Madame Cholet and Uncle Bulgaria (most recent incarnations) if you are unconvinced!

I did not know this until now, but it's not much of a surprise for me. Their clothing was terribly outdated. Always very samey. My guess would be that Crew Clothing follows suit, followed by Boden.

Their business model is flawed. Classic over-expansion in branch numbers, probably not helped by the collapse of traditional department stores which provided lower cost outlets. Too many options ie. same style in different colours/patterns and an established pattern of price reductions which squeezed margins. The brand is likely to survive but not stores.

Agree Crew and White Stuff are likely next.

Oh yes. White Stuff for sure. And let's not forget about Fat Face. They're all the same for me

And Paperchase and Smiggle

This is sort of it with Joules - and I say that as the owner of the yellow raincoat (cheerful!), one ancient Breton (super thick cotton - beautiful quality) and a jumper with a picture of a duck holding an umbrella on it (my rainy day jumper).

It seems like it doesn't know who it's aimed at or what it's doing. It's not sleek enough for town people who want the wealthy country look, and it's not practical enough for country people who need sturdy clothes for whatever outdoor country stuff they have to do. The patterns are classic (or boring), and then overlaid with some weird shit that de-classicifies them without making them interesting or noteworthy. There's a Breton in their sale at the moment that has butterflies and frogs on top of the stripes. Why? They simultaneously can't leave things alone, like plain wellies or tops WITHOUT FUCKING INSECTS ON THEM, but also seem to refuse to change their retail offering to move with the times and make themselves more appealing. It's an amazing combination of juvenile and staid.

all their stock will be on eBay in a months time .

I've had another sale email from smiggle tonight some huge reductions from them again does make you wonder

Are you just naming shops that you dislike now?

No just the precarious ones!

People who are saying that Boden will go are forgetting that they don’t have stores. Bricks and mortar store have huge overheads.

I think Fat Face might survive. Out of Boden, white stuff and fat face it’s the more trendy one. Yes, there’s some odd stuff but also enough more normal stuff. Jeans are nice. But yes the quality has gone downhill making it over priced for what it is.

Not correct.
Joules did start at country fairs, they were expensive and it was the start of a more casual look back in those days.
They were beautifully made and extremely popular with the horsey/ eventing set not the hunting/ shooting set who still wear those flannel check shirts and a coat older than they are !
Foot and mouth meant that all the country fairs stopped and so there was nowhere to sell.
Joules almost went bust but it was then that Tom Joule saved the company by flogging it in every garden centre and retailer around the country and eventually opened their own stores.
Kate and Wills meant the "country look" became mainstream 10 ish years ago , that's when the townies picked it up.
They did lose their way rather but I went to one of their Big Sales recently and got some really nice stuff, not a floral breton or dachshund in sight.
All the women in my family wear ancient Joules for dog walking and outdoorsy stuff, no one bat's an eyelid
So sad for the company and people who are going to lose their jobs

Oh yes. White Stuff for sure. And let's not forget about Fat Face. They're all the same for me

Oh joules is MUCH better quality that fat face. I ordered a few dresses from fat face recently and they were like rags! Very thin and badly cut.

They were in the £65 - £75 range and were worse quality that something that you might pick up in Primark for a tenner. You have to wonder who buys this stuff!

That's very true . I think there are a few stores which have closed their High Street shops but continued online .

Fab
Spent just over £300 in the sale night before last
Nothing over £100 and on a credit card
Feck me that's a lot to lose
I blame mumsnet, it was a post in the Xmas thread about their sale starting early .
I'm stuffed either way now , I lose all my money or I get the stuff, can't send it back and look
Like a frumpy oversized toddler !

Keep it a year it will sell on ebay

I still have two saddle pads , a lovely striped turnout and a gorgeous fleece rug with emerald green sides and a floral satin top that my horse still keeps for Sunday best 🤣