The company of Welsh fashion designer Julien Macdonald, known for dressing celebrities like Beyoncé and Jennifer Lopez, has gone into liquidation, resulting in job losses and the sale of all stock.
The liquidation, which took effect on 26 July, was triggered by financial difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic. Alan Coleman of FTS Recovery, the firm handling the process, said: 'Due to the loss and under-performance of several key contracts, including its main UK retail licensee, along with a previously growing licensee based in the United States, which severely impacted cashflow, the company is now in liquidation.'
Coleman added that the situation worsened after Macdonald lost a significant portion of revenue following the collapse of Debenhams in late 2020. 'The cashflow issues were compounded by general inflationary costs, which impacted on all aspects of the business,' he said.
Steve Bell, a colleague of Macdonald for around 20 years, described the development as 'a real shame'. He said: 'Bad things happen to people but I have nothing bad to say about him. Sometimes people bounce back. I wish him the best.'
Macdonald, from Merthyr Tydfil, rose to fame after his 1996 graduation show, catching the eye of Karl Lagerfeld, who made him head of knitwear at Chanel. He later worked with Givenchy and designed British Airways uniforms. His client list includes Naomi Campbell, Kylie Minogue, and Victoria Beckham.
Emma Jones, senior fashion promotion lecturer at the University of South Wales, called it 'a sad end of an era', noting that Macdonald was 'a role model for lots, he's a Welsh icon'. She said the industry had changed dramatically since Covid, with e-commerce replacing high street retailers, and that Macdonald's association with Debenhams 'had a real significant impact on his business'.
