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.

Jigsaw!! OMG!!

Back in 2004 I got a job just around the corner from them and bought so many clothes.

Then they created an extra, more casual store up the road which stocked everything I loved and it was my go to store.

They then closed that and what's left is the same original Jigsaw but everything is twice the price and made of such delicate fabrics that they literally fall apart after a year!

I haven't returned since about 2010.

Yes! Habitat used to be fantastic. Then it started haemorrhaging money and started making cheap tat about 15-20 years ago, and went completely downhill after that. Designs are now awful and clunky, quality is absolute bilge. Buying it from Argos and Sainsbury’s along with the sausages is the final nail in the coffin. It used to be so cool and aspirational and functionally fun. I’m sad about it.

Strongly agree about Monsoon in the 90s; classy, romantic, excellent quality and had a great petite selection. Also Fenn Wright Manson; stylish and covetable in the 80s, then slowly went all Mother of the Bride before quietly fading away in a whimper of polyester.

ooH yes sure do!

Absolutely remember Snob. Bought a lot back on the day

+1 for Biba. From iconic inspirational brand to department store tat, total travesty.

I was a shopaholic but now I just buy what I absolutely need to. Everything is shite quality so I am just making do with what I have. I genuinely won't buy anything new for winter.

BTW - Next has just bought Fat Face.

Agree with all of these.

Its the tailoring I miss from the likes of Whistles, Karen Millen, Reiss, Warehouse, Jigsaw, etc.. Everything had a waist, with seams and fitted so well.

Now, everything is oversized (blouson) with bell sleeves and sack-like which is great if you're eighteen, tall and lithe. Not so much if youre an average 5 foot 6 and 10 stone.

I really miss being able to go to any high street and pick up a great silk top and beautifully tailored wool trousers.

I agree. Biba was my go to for anything special, but a bit different. I can’t find anything I like anymore.

I miss:
Nicole Farhi
Miss Sixty
Diesel jeans
Banana Republic
Patrick Cox loafers
& some of the other brands you now find in TK Maxx which were once fabulous back in their hey day.

Massimo Dutti used to be a lot better 15-20 years ago along with Zara, Hobbs, French Connection and Ted Baker as already mentioned.

Incidentally M&S have got better recently but the quality is a bit hit and miss.

Sweaty Betty just dire these days

Monsoon quality these days is mostly terrible and so is their online customer service. Such a shame, used to love their clothes.

My love for Monsoon ended earlier this year when a winter coat I ordered online arrived crumpled and creased as it had been squeezed into plastic wrapping, also it was covered in strands of blonde hair and fog hair, was missing a price tag and also smelt musty. It had clearly been worn and returned, and when I contacted their customer service department they simply did not care.

Took ages to get a refund after returning it.

God, everything's got shit these days. It's so depressing. Even a few years ago Habitat was great for nice quality bedlinen, and I'm gutted it's all gone down the pan.
A rather fusty one but Crabtree and Evelyn have got rid of all their classic old formulas and it's all cheap nasty body wash you could get anywhere.
And I don't miss Cath Kidston particularly but I am quite astonished that it's gone from being a total powerhouse even 10 years ago to relegated to the Next website these days. How does it happen?!?!

You just can't trust a brand like you could. It's basically the Sports Direct/Mike Ashley effect but across the board: using trusted names to sell low quality rubbish. I really don't know what's good any more.

Jo Malone , especially the candles and diffusers. The Christmas Pine and Eucalyptus used to scent the whole house beautifully, now they're weak and don't last long

Mulberry, used to be a reasonable price for high quality and workmanship, now super high price and mediocre quality

You are so right.
I literally don't want to buy anything but I hate my wardrobe

Yes! Now you mention it I am sure the dresses I was thinking about were the 'parachute' ones. I bet your DD will be delighted when it fits her.

I bet it's worth a bomb, though! Or a younger relative would be delighted?

I am saving some lovely clothes for my DD and this thread reminds me that it's genuinely a good thing to do. I inherited an amazing, heavy, woven coat from my mum, in all sorts of lovely autumnal shades - it's from 1969 and a beautiful, classic shape. I also have her very snazzy 70s brown velvet jacket, and some dresses from in between. They make me so happy. I am trying to take that attitude with clothes I bought but was too respectful to wear often!

I think the downfall of Laura Ashley during the 00's (?) was the worst. Monsoon seem to be better recently but it's not like the old silk and Indian cotton days. Everywhere seems to be trying to outdo supermarkets in cheap stuff with no particular style.

Jigsaw - awful fabric for the price
Hobbs - cut is now cheap and too short
Habitat - not enough tears. I loved it

Early 90s River Island was so classy. Lovely fabrics - sills, velvet, feathers. It felt luxurious and the shops were full of antique looking fittings, they played 1920s music etc. Then is suddenly morphed into the complete opposite and I find it horrible now - really tasteless and all about getting your tits/legs out.

I remember 90s and early 2000s H&M like a PP mentioned. I liked how unusual the clothes were - you could always find something different there. Not any more.

Mid 90s Warehouse was very stylish - loved it.

I don’t often go clothes shopping, but I tried to in London today. Everything was just so bland. I agree with a pp that H&M used to be quirky. I remember coveting a cape from there in the early 2000

Who would once have thought that George at Asda, Tu and F&F would now be giving the likes of M&S and Next a run for their money?

I worked for River Island in 1996 and still lust over some of the clothes we sold then.
Their pyjamas at Christmas time were amazing.

I also remember when River Island opened up and the lovely antiquey vibe to their shops.

I used to love Warehouse, it was a bit more expensive than New Look but lovely fabrics. I got some real silk dresses in there which I still have, they just no longer fit ☹️.

New Look used to do great shoes for the price, it was my go to. Now they are either really high stripper style shoes or ballet flats, such a shame.

Ah and Topshop, in the era when they did the Kate Moss collaboration. I just loved it. There was a really good programme on a couple of years ago about Topshop.

I have beautiful cushions from their very brief Home range, huge ones, silk and sequins, beautiful. Sadly starting to rip in places.