Cath Kidston not longer popular?

[Aprilshowerssun]

I used to was a huge CK fan, at one point I had about 80 of her items, my house was like CK shop, tens of bags, mugs…
I loved visiting their cute little shops scattered around the country and always finding something lovely to buy..
Also you could see many people wearing CK bags, I could always count seeing a few daily and I live in small town.
But now all is gone.
I mean- they are still trading online at Next and apparently there is new CK shop in London but it’s not the same.
The new designs from Next are not like those what made CK famous, they are unpretty patterns, which could be find in any other shop.
What a shame!
I just looked on CK at Next at their sale bits and all bits there since I looked 3 weeks ago, nobody buys there anymore..
Even when I buy a newish item ( made by Next) it doesn’t give me the same lovely feeling I had when I purchased it in their own shop.
plus the prices are hideous, same style small bag that used to cost £15 is now £60.
I still have about 20 bags I bought pre Covid and I’m seriously thinking selling them all ( I don’t think there is actually even interest in them as few are listed online already and nobody even looked) and just forget all about it.
Anyone has the same?

Laura Ashley at Next is even worse. Complete tat. Batsheva and Joannie did limited runs of dresses using Laura Ashley archive prints- they were beautiful.

Original Laura Ashley cotton dresses go for good money on Etsy and Ebay. There's several I had and gave away selling between £50- £150.

There’s a gap in the market for traditional chintzy things. I miss Laura Ashley for fabrics and upholstery.
CK stuff used to be lovely quality. I still have some beautiful duck egg blue bedding from there.
But I am that person who buys polka dot, chintz, sprigged prints and granny square stuff. Not too much but a bit of cottagey stuff suits a lot of British houses.
To a PP. You really put decent stuff in a bag for the tip? Charity shop it at least!

I did think about giving away to charity shop but the bags have yellowed over time and look worn and tatty so unlikely anyone would want them. They had a lot of use but just don’t look as nice anymore which is a real shame.

I had a spotty CK crossbody satchel. It was a deep teal/petrol with cream spots and tan leather trim, it was beautiful and I bloody loved it. I wore it to death and would still wear it now if it'd lasted.

The whole cottagecore, tradwife thing is getting popular in the USA so CK should give it a final go over there

CK has always been fugly. I'm surprised that you're surprised it's gone stale and out of fashion.

I used to love it but I can't fit into any of the sweet chintzy dresses I had from there in my 20s anymore. So I eventually made a couple of hundred quid selling them off on vinted.

Agree it became too mass produced and ubiquitous though.

I was a massive fan years ago when she was in charged of the designs. I loved visiting the shops and used to be on the Facebook groups and do swap nights etc. I loved the chintz and the quality was good. Then she sold up and everything went a bit tacky and then the Disney prints came out and it was just bandwagon after bandwagon. I see CK bags in charity shops dirt cheap now. They used to hold their value well second hand.

Does that comment make you feel good. It's a thread by someone who liked CK.

I love my Cath Kidston bag, purse, and duvet set. I usually buy from Vinted or an outlet store.

I still like it and love the mugs, there used to be some really good sales and beautiful items.

I still have about 4 of the large mugs left, we love them. I used to have loads but over the years they have been dropped and broken and now down to the final few.

it was HUGE in 2010-2015 - I had tablecloths, the oil skin bags, tea towels, kids’ pjs etc. Shops on the high st, discount one at Bicester Village which didn’t close down that long ago (maybe covid time?)
it’s not such a popular aesthetic now, it went with the ‘shabby chic’ type style of the time. I really liked it, good quality and fun designs and suited our little Victorian cottage at the time.

Everything got painted grey shortly after and that was the end of that!

True, the bags were selling so well as second hand, all them Stanley/ cottage lamps were so popular..
I just looked on Next again, just nothing to choose from there…

Yeah, that’s was the issue with some of the bags, they got yellowed, it was the glue they used, especially the light colour bags got all ruined cos of it.
I remember I purchased the Richmond rose bowel bag, it was grey with pink roses, beautiful large bag, I paid £80 and it all got yellowed soon after I bought and I never even got to use it…that was disappointing, so I avoided to buy anything light there.
I wonder if they changed the glue now..

20 bags????

I always liked the style of the stuff but the way that the prominent labels put me right off.

I think the fact that they are or were so expensive for what is essentially plastic was v irritating. I feel the same about orla kiely. I like the patterns but it is overpriced. I have recently joined in the roka love. You can get good bargains on vinted and the bags are good quality.

I have a large pale blue bag with strawberries on it, rectangular tote bag style, bought in the Bicester city outlet shop at least 20 years ago which is still going strong and not yellowing. I use it for my knitting and love it!

As an aside can’t you take them to a charity shop instead of landfill?

I have a bowling bag which I use as an in flight bag, going strong after 20 years. I can squash so much into it and then squish it under the seat. No yellowing or fading at all.

I've still got a big red tote bag in oilcloth which is lovely. And just 1 of the big mugs which I absolutely love!

I did used to like it all, I confess. Went off it though and made an absolute killing selling it all off on eBay Christmas before last. If you’re interested she’s now doing C.Atherley geranium products, which I also have to confess to loving.

It got too big and lost its charm especially when they started doing collaborations. Same as Emma Bridgewater right now really

this happened to my very beloved Laura Ashley. Current items have nothing to do with the original brand or experience.

Yeah, I don't get why you would sell things you still like so you can "just forget all about it."
What does that even mean? Why can't you just like things for the individual items they are without seeing them as part of a specific designer's range that you have to fully commit to for the rest of your life?

I can't imagine thinking 'Oh Topshop closed down so I'd better get rid of all my old Topshop clothes now I can't buy any new ones.'

By all means don't buy new stuff if you don't like it, but getting rid of old stuff just because you don't like the new stuff is bizarre.