Monsoon and Accessorize on the brink of going under

[MulberryPeony]

FYI in case anyone is about the place an order.

My wedding dress was from Monsoon. And my dd's bridesmaid dress. It's a shame, but their normal clothes were expensive but frumpy

That's a shame i loved their boots and shoes and have bought dome nice clothes from monsoon. It's a shame

Also lovely beachwear

That’s a shame-they have some lovely kids dresses and winter coats. Can’t say I care for the ladies stuff but I do like a mooch in accessorise. Again, they always have lovely kids beach stuff/small things for gifts.

I used to love Monsoon, it was my go to clothes shop from the late 90s to around 2010. Then, as others have noticed, things changed.
Sad for the staff of course.

I’ve never been one for Monsoon - I’m 30 and it’s always felt a bit too ‘old’ for me - but I love Accessorize! Beach bits, jewellery, emergency birthday presents. Like PP I love a mooch in one at the airport, almost always come away with a floppy hat I had no intention of buying

I used to get vouchers for Christmas for monsoon. I loved their clothes, then they took a weird direction and there would be entire seasons where I'd not buy a thing.
Why do decent clothes stores do this?

Monsoon has gone really frumpy lately. They used to sell nice occasion wear and “posh frocks” but I haven’t seen anything nice there for a long time, it’s all been a bit dull and dowdy.

I used to like their linen and cotton plain tops and trousers but for the last few years there has been very little plain stuff - it's all flowery or 70's type patterns. It was good for occasion dresses though. I'll miss Accesorise more.

They have about 50 different dresses in 7 different styles at any one time. If they’d been more co code to about picking fewer styles to go with they’d be ok but they seem to think they can compete with the range of Zara / mango despite not having a global distribution network

I find them expensive and outdated now, though liked them in the 90s.

I liked their little girls dresses and shoes, perfect for weddings, womens clothing was just frumpy and like a pp has said, 'too per una lite'

Not surprised. Needed a face lift years ago.

I’ve got a few bits from monsoon from years ago pretty tops and dresses but my fave was their lovely boys clothes, I had some really nice embroidered t shirts and woollens just looked lovely, wasn’t cheap but I had 2 boys close in age so they both wore outfits but recently I’d go to accessorize for some bits but monsoon as others have said it’s all gone cheap fabrics and quality doesn’t represent the prices and boys clothes are now just prints. I’d much rather pay for decent quality but obviously expensive for them to make those kids items so they just didn’t bother and thought they could charge the same. Haven’t bought much since

I worked for them at uni. Their mark ups were huge and they used to force all the staff to buy 3 outfits and at least three accessories every season. You got 75 percent off but that still only brought it to reasonable price especially for students and they must have been making money on all that. All the jewellery used to come in plastic bags knottes together and we used to have to take turns sitting in the basement unravelling the necklaces. At least half of it would be broken

Yep, monsoon yet another shop that completely lost sight of its target audience and what had made it successful in the first place. Used to be great, I haven't bought anything there for years. And I always pop in to browse, so it's not for my lack of trying. Cheap clothes, poorly cut, horrible fabric; high prices. Not a good combo.

@Rhodri

Monsoon has gone really frumpy lately. They used to sell nice occasion wear and “posh frocks” but I haven’t seen anything nice there for a long time, it’s all been a bit dull and dowdy.

Agree with this.

Bought a lovely cocktail dress from there a decade ago and it still looks good. It used to be reliable for good quality maxi dresses in the summer, nice jackets and coats and evening wear. But it all went a bit frumpy and I haven't set foot in there for ages.

Monsoon is very middle aged. The children's stuff is lovely but very expensive.

I do like accessorize and hopefully that part of business will be saved if nothing else.

You could always rely on Monsoon for a good maxi dress that would be flattering and elegant. I bought a monochrome silk maxi dress like this one a few years ago... vs what they are selling now. Not surprised sales have fallen.

I bought two new bags in the Accessorize sale last night because of you lot. I do not need two new bags. I do not need one new bag.

I used to love their clothes - used to be fantastic quality. I remember a silk and linen skirt I had that was beautiful. And my favourite dress ever dates from before they were a chain. Agree that something changed about five years ago and they lost their way.

My all time favourite jumper is a very fine merino pleat back in silver grey that came from there about five years ago. It was (and still is beautiful) and I’ve worn it around once week since I bought it. But it was the last thing I bought there.

Will be sorry to see them go though.

I forgot - I buy a couple of Christmas decorations from there every year, they do lovely enamelled ones.

I love the jewellery and hot accessories in accessorize. It’s one of my fav shops :(

Not a massive surprise tbh. I've had some Monsoon bits for work and some of them are rather old now, still going. I've chucked newer things from there away because the quality utterly plummeted! Accessorize (annoys me with the Z because it's British, not American) is also full of tat. The jewellery is fine, as are the flip flops, but the overpriced bags are ridiculous. Tacky looking fake leather and straw concoctions.

I used to buy the z for accesorize range jewellery. Had noticed the style / use of semi precious stones had gone down and the price gone up. £25 for gold plated jewellery is expensive considering what you can get for that amount on Etsy etc