Cath Kidston is in trouble

[Gingernaut]

According to Sky and BBC Radio 4, the administrators are being called in.

news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-vintage-retailer-cath-kidston-lines-up-administrators-11968548

All the retail closures are sad. I wasn’t a Cath Kidston fan but this is a shame.

They will sell on the brand name/key designs and it will limp on for a while.

I think it had almost reached its peak anyway. So many retailers are teetering on the edge and this will push them over it.

After Laura Ashley went, I had a feeling they would be next.
They were already struggling quite badly.
I wonder who will be next?

One of my students works in FatFace. Based on what she’s been told they are not far behind.

It had become a bit twee

Twee and over-priced. Not a surprise but sad.

It’s the curse of private equity. Quality goes to shit. Design principles out the window. Manufacturing shifted to China. Open 100 stores in airports and tourist destinations. Milk it for four years. Sell it and watch it go bust.

This will send a lot of our favourite brands over

I wouldn't be surprised if Seasalt is next.

I have two wipe down Cath Kidson aprons that are great and nothing else around quite like them but the general style has run its course really - I never saw anyone in the shop near me and didn’t see anything to tempt me, even in the sales.

I wouldn't be surprised if Seasalt is next

Nor would I . Sea Salt is massively advertising on Instagram, with increasing discounts across the whole range. I have seen some things that do appeal but I’m just not buying anything at the moment as my entire wardrobe needs are currently satisfied by the same rotating bunch of yoga pants and tops.

It’s sad when any business goes under, but I’ve never seen Cath Kidson as having any longevity as a brand. They kind of thing they sold always seemed like it was part of a short-lived fad.

One of my students works in FatFace. Based on what she’s been told they are not far behind

I used to love FatFace a few years ago. They sold lovely cotton fabrics, with pretty or quirky patterns and embroidered designs. Now it’s all synthetic fabrics and bland designs, indistinguishable from places like Gap and Next.

Fatface is also PE owned.

My last three every day handbags were from Cath Kidston and a small child's lunch bag is my evening bag.

I'll be sorry to see it go, even if I didn't visit it more than once every year.

It's not to my taste but I'm sad to hear this, and about all the other struggling businesses, Every time a smaller retailer tanks, the high street gets a little but more homogenised.

There's nothing for it but to learn to sew, although at this rate, there'll be nowhere to buy fabric either. except Amazon.

As long as Emma Bridgewater stays afloat, they should expand to make bags and fabrics to corner that market

Oh not Seasalt!! I guess they must rely heavily on tourist trade in seaside and holiday destinations. I had a lot of respect for how early they closed stores, and they made a statement that they didn't want to put staff at risk or tempt people to come out shopping (this was before lockdown).

It’s the curse of private equity.

Agree with this - it becomes all about short term profit. They often aren’t actually that bothered about the product.
Not fashion related but still retail, there was a short interview with one of the founders of The Book People on Radio 4 which intimated problems with the PE approach. They also went into administration before Christmas.

Cath kidston stuff was too much of its time to last without radically changing its products and overall look - it’s dated and widely copied. Sad though.
Fat face - I’m not surprised, I used to like their stuff but for the last few years I haven’t bought anything from them as the colours have been boring and the quality has gone down while the prices have gone up - and I don’t generally wear synthetic fabrics.

I have a lot of CK bags etc and I do love them BUT they are incredibly overpriced and that's their downfall. They're having a sale now but have still got a lot of regular overpriced products on the site.

If I think about it I’ve hardly bought any clothes at all in the last few years, not because I don’t want to but because I can never find anything that I like that isn’t a stupid price.

They did the Disney collaboration but I don't think it sold as well as they thought it would.

I thought they went a while back. The shops nearest to me all closed at the same time.

I wonder if joules are in the same boat? Their stuff is quite overpriced for what it it.

Cath Kidston completely lost their mojo. I'm sure that if they had kept their original style, in the original bright colours they would not be in this position today. But they sold out, washed out the colours, and totally lost their appeal. Very sad.