Brands you loved which went horribly wrong

[WeDidntHaveWaterBottlesInThe80s]

I was just mourning the demise of the original iteration of Finery, when it was quirky and had great prints and interesting shapes at reasonable prices. Then it became weirdly expensive and Hobbs-esque, then cheap and dull. Any other sad losses? We can weep together.

I used to really like All Saints and bought some very unusual and interesting (albeit pricey) clothes from there, back in the day. I find it really trashy now.

For me it has to be Kenzo. Back in like 2018 I loved it. But since they changed their logo everything seemed to go downhill from there.

When I first started shopping in H&M in about 1998/9 it was really quirky and weird, I was a greebo/indie kid and got most of my clothes including some strange parachute skirts there. Over time it has become more and more mainstream to the point where it may as well now just merge with Zara.

Anthropologie used to be great years ago. The quality was excellent and the design was interesting without being overly maic-pixie-dreamgirl. It's awful now. Cheap and awful as far as quality, but expensive, and the designs are often just weird.

Habitat.
Used to love it in the 80s /90s then it disappeared.

Its reinvention with Sainsbury's is horrible.

Oh good thread!!!

Self portrait. Gorgeous dresses and bought a lovely one for a wedding for £200. It’s now stupid expensive and too weird for me now.

Loved Karen Millen when it started up.

Topshop. I used to be able to spend 4 hours in the Oxford Circus branch at the time it felt like the High Street was determining the trends rather than Designer fashion trickling down. It was so exciting to be around the buzz.

Not a fashion brand but I used to buy Marie Claire back in the 90s because it used to have loads of accessible fashion but also really good journalism. Bought an issue a few years ago and it was just shit fashion with adverts and sponsored editorials (so more adverts really!).

Next when they first started in the days of George Davis and Next Directory. Wonderful quality, great tailoring, super chic. It all went downhill once George left and it's unrecognisable now. Sad.

I miss Oxford street Topshop, it was fab in its heyday.
Also Miss Selfridge used to have some really quirky but affordable clothes.

Sorry, George Davies not Davis. No idea why I typed Davis. 🙄

Great Plains back in the 90s when you could buy it in French Connection. Simple elegant clothes. Now it seems to have morphed into a weird combination of Boden and Per Una, too many quirky fabrics and dated cuts, it’s a shame.

Jigsaw - quality went down massively and they no longer deal in Europe.
John Lewis - ditto
Pure Cashmere - all thin rubbish these days
Do not understand why people forget that there are customers willing to pay for good quality.

Long Tall Sally was one of the few places I could get decent quality clothes that fit, they were expensive but lasted forever. Then they got taken over by Very? Now the quality is terrible, the fit is very hit and miss. I have had dresses with 3 inches too much fabric dragging on the floor and jumper sleeves that finish an inch above my wrist. It still costs the same as it used to so I can't justify it anymore.

I'd rather have sort of fitting clothes that last forever than well fitting clothes that wear out in 3 months.

Oh yes, Oxford Circus Topshop, it was fantastic!

Agree with Finery and Anthro.

Adding Bobbi Brown, they were my favourite makeup brand for simple, wearable, good quality make up. Now it's the same crap peddled by influencers with tonnes of foundation, bronzer, highlighter, blusher and what not trowelled on as enywhere else.

@ArtyStripedSocks I used to love All Saints cardigans and dresses 15 years ago - I think they had their heyday in the Kate Moss/Libertines/ Camden era and have been a bit adrift since, say, 2012.

Agree with Next! I had Saturday job there in the late 80's/early 90's, super chic and the shop interiors were really nicely done...

Yes all of this.

@BridgetRandomfuck I actually loved French Connection too; aside from the FCUK nonsense their knitwear and dresses were lovely. I am now missing a peacock green wrap dress circa 2005, worn with vintage 70s boots.

Bobbi brown has set up a new one jones Road- maybe worth a look

Topshop, still have some of their ivy park gymwear in my wardrobe
Warehouse
Oasis, still have a silk top from there
River Island, especially the going out/ party wear which I still have but no longer fit into :(
Karen Millen, brought my prom dress from there

Thanks, I have a few bits from there. Feels a bit utilitarian though.

Ooh, yes, I remember when Topshop Oxford Circus felt really special. And Karen Millen. That was my go-to place for smart clothes for ages. It does still exist and I did buy a (massively marked down) coat from them last year, which is gorgeous and like what I remembered. But most of it seems to be polyester dresses that have been on the website forever.

I feel it's almost rude to say so, but Vivienne Westwood declined in her last years, when she wasn't at the helm. I had a jacket I absolutely adored from her (and I lusted over far more that I couldn't afford). But then for the last five years it wasn't flattering any more. For me what made it special was that it was edgy and had a sense of what would look good on a real body.

To chime in with @DuranNotSpandeau - are there any good fashion magazines any more?! I used to love buying Vogue in the early 2000s and I'd sit down and savour it. Then it really lost its way. I haven't wanted to buy it in years now.

Karen millen..it was go to for very nice dresses. beautiful work pieces too when you need to look posh. refuse to buy it now owned by bohoo.
oasis again great for nice basics for work. currently wearing a basic cotton red top bought a good few years ago then they went bust and bought by bohoo.

I loved All Saints for day or casual evening, Karen Millen and Coast for occasion and ASOS own brand for day, Wallis for work - but all 15 years ago. I liked Cos 15 years ago too. Perhaps I'm just stuck in a time warp!