Cefinn has collapsed

[Umbilicat]

What do we think? Is this a loss? I have quite a number of Ceffin pieces – nearly all bought at sample sales, certainly nothing I paid full price for. One gorgeous passenger dress that I wear for things like Christmas, dress I bought in their Next collab which is great for work, couple of very flattering cardigans. Then quite a few for less flattering items – particularly sleeveless dresses that I bought thinking I was as soon as I was pre-pandemic. Quite a few have been sold on via Vinted and Vestiaire. Anyway, I’ll vaguely miss them but not that much.

This is exactly my thoughts too! Made for a world that no longer exists

Very over priced for what it was. I always thought their price point was about 20% higher than it should have been, and they used polyester way too much.

Anyhow, I love reading about designers people buy from instead. Lora Gene has been added to my list.

I hope you like them! Their customer service is fantastic. Bear in mind a lot of their things are made to order so it can take a few weeks to arrive.

Ah. I assumed other posters were talking about the other type of consultant.

I agree with many on here that the brand seems to be catering for a world that no longer exists. Pre-COVID, as a law firm partner, I had a few properly smart suits for big meetings and court, and lots of fairly smart dresses and separates for day to day around the office.

Now I still need the very smart clothes for the same occasions, but most of the time I wfh and wear jeans or Saint and Sofia apartment pants with a scruffy or smart top depending on whether I have video calls. And when I am in the office, the style is a lot more casual than five years ago - wide legged trousers, trainers and a top seems to be fairly standard.

Apparently it never turned a profit. I mean it didn't help that it had an unpronouncable name.

Ah, I miss living up north - I love getting properly dressed up to go out.

Agree that Cefinn started well then ran out of ideas. Interesting that someone mentioned Baukjen - I have some ancient dresses from them that still work well (one is my go-to for funerals...), but their current collection is deadly dull and some of the colours are horrendous.

Everything has just turned dull, poorly made or both.

I had to give away most of my Thought dresses after losing weight but they used to have dramatic prints each season with themes like 'Peggy Gugenheim in Venice'or 'The pillow book of Sei Shonagon'.

Dropped it all for drab ditsy print.

@Mulledjuice , the 'nn' at the end makes it look 'not Welsh'. There's a Welsh actor called Cefin Roberts.

Glossary of sheep husbandry - Wikipedia

The name came from CameroN + E+F+I+N (children's initials), I think.

I think it was a great idea, and I liked the clothes, but I don't have the budget or lifestyle.

IMO they charged way too much for polyester in old fashioned designs. But I've had my eye on their silk-blend blouse and leather skirts for a while...

Me+Em has cornered this classic end of the market me thinks. Some of their things are boring, but they're generally good quality and great value in the sales or on Vinted.

All this.

I went as far as signing up for the 10% discount, but could never quite be tempted to order anything.

And now I want to know about sheep husbandry 🐑

Just occurred to me I'm currently wearing a V&A at People Tree dress - another brand that got more and more boring then folded.

Oops sorry quoted wrong message

They smell.
The smell of roast lamb smells like cooked sheep.

VB operates at a loss?

I am an absolute dress fanatic but Cefin did not remotely work for me. Overpriced, polyester, made in China, no sustainable / ethical standards to be proud of. Every dress was cut for Samantha Cameron’s body shape and all the colour ways and prints were deadly dull. Sorry for the folk who lost their jobs but it was a vanity project from the start I think and would never have started if it wasn’t for her wealth and connections.

I’ve never heard the word gimmer! And I never bought from Cefinn as even though I’m 46 and could afford it has way too much middle age vibe for me.

I cannot bring myself to buy anything from Wyse as the model they use on their grates on me so badly. I can’t even look at the clothes as her acting is so awful that it just ruins all the outfits. I can only imagine this why they turn their comments off…to stop people like me from saying anything! (I wouldn’t …

I think I’ve read that Victoria Beckham turned in a profit for the first time last year, after about 17 years in business. I believe it was similar for Stella McCartney until she signed up for Gucci. Me and Em might be another case in point although it sounds from a pp as if they’re doing OK now.

Apologies if I’m being vague - I’ve only just woken up. Anyway my point is that this doesn’t seem to be unheard of in the fashion world, in which case I imagine your survival depends on whether or not your financial backers will stick with you. Presumably VB’s did but Samantha Cameron’s, for whatever reason, had had enough.

I have a friend who wears loads of Cefinn but she is Sam Cam shape - flat chested, narrow rib cage, 10/12 ish and moderately tall but “slight”. She works at a hedge fund and loves it because it’s repeatable and washable. Her lifestyle (5 days in the office, very smart clothes) isn’t that common now.

I agree that Baukjen is going the same way. I wonder if it’s because the founder still has an iron grip on design and she is now much older (possibly into her 60s) and I do think it’s really hard to stay ahead of what people much younger than you want without outside help, especially as pre and post COVID are completely different, style-wise.

Baukjen is another I used to buy a lot from and haven’t for a few years. It’s a shame because the quality was great. I still wear the bits I have but recently nothing appeals.

My objection is the same as Cefinn and Wyse. I am tall, wear a size 12/14, but have broad shoulders and lift weights. I don’t want puffy sleeves on everything.

I have great success these days WNU. They have limited range, but what they do, they do very well.

I’m a similar shape I will try WNU thanks. I think you’ve made me realise why I dislike the Wyse lady so much (not the older one the blonde one). Every video screams look at me I’m so skinny I’m a model don’t you know, but the acting is just cringe…! It immediately makes me think this brand is not made for me. Whereas a proper model I never notice their size, they make the clothes stand out and I buy. Sometimes the fit well and sometimes they don’t but I don’t notice the model, I just notice that the clothes look nice on them.

maybe that’s also why I wasnt a big cefinn fan. I’m not a fan of SC at all, or DC for that matter… and maybe that put me off looking harder at the actual clothes… even though I’d never really thought about it.

Yes