Latest news with #retailcollapse
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Fashion label worn by Kate during pregnancy collapses into administration
A maternity fashion firm has collapsed into administration. Seraphine, whose clothes were worn by the Princess of Wales during her pregnancies, appointed administrators from Interpath on Monday. The retailer – which has a flagship store in London's Kensington High Street and also sells online – struggled amid rising costs and a difficult backdrop for consumer spending. The majority of its 95 staff have been made redundant. As its financial woes deepened, it sought to find a buyer but was unable to secure a sale. Will Wright, UK chief executive of Interpath, said Seraphine had 'grown to become a well-known and well-loved maternity brand, known for its blend of comfort and style'. 'Unfortunately, the strong economic headwinds that have been impacting a number of the UK's high street and online retailers, including rising costs and brittle consumer confidence, have proved too challenging to overcome.' Interpath said it was 'exploring options for the business and its assets, including the Seraphine brand'. Seraphine was founded in 2002 by Cecile Reinaud and the brand shot to fame when the princess wore its maternity clothes, which sparked a surge in demand for the label. It floated on the stock market in 2021 with a £150 million valuation but quickly saw its market capitalisation tumble. The group was taken private two years later for £15.3 million by Mayfair Equity Partners.
The Independent
08-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Maternity label worn by Kate collapses into administration
The maternity fashion firm, whose clothes were worn by the Princess of Wales during her pregnancies, has collapsed into administration. Seraphine appointed administrators from Interpath on Monday in a move that has seen the majority of its 95 staff made redundant. The retailer – which has a flagship store in London's Kensington High Street and also sells online – struggled amid rising costs and a difficult backdrop for consumer spending. As its financial woes deepened, it sought to find a buyer but was unable to secure a sale. Will Wright, UK chief executive of Interpath, said: 'Over the past 23 years, Seraphine has grown to become a well-known and well-loved maternity brand, known for its blend of comfort and style. 'Unfortunately, the strong economic headwinds that have been impacting a number of the UK's high street and online retailers, including rising costs and brittle consumer confidence, have proved too challenging to overcome.' Interpath said it was 'exploring options for the business and its assets, including the Seraphine brand'. Seraphine was founded in 2002 by Cecile Reinaud and the brand shot to fame when the princess wore its maternity clothes, which sparked a surge in demand for the label. It floated on the stock market in 2021 with a £150 million valuation but quickly saw its market capitalisation tumble. The group was taken private two years later for £15.3 million by Mayfair Equity Partners.
Globe and Mail
08-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
The B.C. billionaire fighting to take over Hudson's Bay stores
On June 1, Hudson's Bay – the iconic department store brand whose operation predates the founding of Canada – sold its last striped blanket. Struggling under $1.1 billion in debt, the company was granted court protection from its creditors in the spring. Since then, it's cleared the shelves in liquidation sales, sold its brand identity and laid off more than 8300 people. Now, the courts are selling off what's left, including the leases to nearly 100 massive store locations left sitting empty. B.C. billionaire Ruby Liu is set on buying 28 of those leases – but nearly every landlord involved is trying to stop her. The Globe's retailing reporter, Susan Krashinsky Robertson has been reporting on the collapse of Canada's oldest retailer. She'll tell us all about who Ruby Liu is, what she plans to do with all of these stores and why she's facing such dramatic opposition. Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@
