The brand first arrived on the high street 36 years ago with its first store in Glasgow, but now all the fashion chain’s 31 remaining stores in the UK and Ireland are expected to have shut down. The fashion brand's website has also been pulled amid the company's administration. Ted Baker was founded by Ray Kelvin in 1988, and the brand’s clothing and accessories are widely recognised for their patterns and florals.
Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets for Hargreaves Lansdown, said the nationwide stores had come to a “sorry conclusion in a very tough fashion retail environment”. Its future was put at risk when the firm behind its UK shops, No Ordinary Designer Label Limited (NODL), collapsed into administration in March. A different American company, Authentic Brands, which owns Ted Baker’s intellectual property, said that despite “tireless efforts” it could not “overcome” the financial issues the business faced.
Authentic blamed the process on “damage” done during a partnership with Dutch company AARC Group, and the “significant level of arrears” that had built up during the association. Ted Baker had also flagged economic challenges in recent years, having faced weaker consumer demand and difficulties in its supply chain, after being among the luxury retailers to take a hit during the Covid pandemic. Ms Streeter said: “ Ted Baker shot into the fashion limelight with tailored ranges that quenched a thirst for luxury amid mid-market shoppers.