Fashion label worn by Kate during pregnancy collapses 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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Blog
an hour ago
- Auto Blog
MINI Launches Competitive Countryman EV Lease Deal for July
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Get into the maxi-MINI for less money The 2025 MINI Countryman is the BMW sub-brand's SUV. The Countryman debuted in 2010 as the brand's first compact SUV, and the tall MINI is now in its third generation. While it resembles its predecessors, the Countryman adopts the brand's new design language known as Charismatic Simplicity, focusing on a more distinctly modern style with minimalist elements inside and out. The exterior is chunkier, and the new Countryman gets a larger grille that incorporates the bumper. It also sports angular fenders, a new headlight/DRL shape, and new vertical taillights. The new design language and the UKL2 platform also allow for an electrified powertrain, which is present in the 2025 Countryman SE ALL4. What is the Jeep Wrangler 4xe Backcountry? Watch More 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 — Source: MINI Its primary competition in the compact EV crossover space are the Hyundai Kona Electric, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Mercedes-Benz EQB, and the new Volvo EX30. The MINI Countryman ALL4 offers unique exterior styling in the segment, as well as one of the freshest interiors in the entire industry. This month, MINI is even offering the Countryman SE ALL4 with an attractive lease deal. 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 lease deal for July 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 — Source: MINI This month's lease offer on the 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 Signature Plus Trim ($46,375 MSRP) makes the electric crossover more attainable thanks to excellent pricing. The ultra-low mileage lease costs $299 per month for 36 months, with a $0 security deposit, a suggested dealer contribution of $1,950, and a $7,500 lease credit. $4,185 cash is due at signing, plus $299 first month's payment and a $925 acquisition fee. Mileage limits during the 3-year lease amount to 22,500 miles (7,500 miles per year). Lastly, a disposition fee of no more than $395 is due at the end of the lease. The offer is good through July 31, 2025. Learn more here. 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 feature highlights 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 — Source: MINI The Countryman SE ALL4 is powered by a 65 kWh battery pack that's connected to two electric motors for all-wheel drive traction, 308 horsepower, and 364 lb-ft of torque. Driving range on a full charge is 212 miles and the 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 supports DC fast charging, delivering 10% to 80% battery charge in approximately 30 minutes. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 — Source: MINI The base Signature Plus trim come standard with 18-inch six-spoke wheels, LED headlights and taillights, a 9.4-inch central OLED infotainment screen, panoramic moonroof, head-up display, navigation, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, wireless smartphone charging, remote engine start, keyless entry, automatic-dimming mirrors, a power tailgate, parking assistant, and an alarm system. Standard safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning. 2025 MINI Countryman SE ALL4 — Source: Gabriel Ionica The cabin is one of the most delightful and original interiors in the industry. With less chrome and a minimalistic approach, the interior is rife with sustainable materials, a fabric-trimmed dashboard with animated LEDs underneath, a big round infotainment display that shows driver instrumentation, and simplified physical controls on the center stack. Rear dimensions are the biggest in the MINI lineup, at 35.1 inches of legroom, 37.4 inches of headroom, and 54.8 inches of shoulder room. The rear seats can be folded down to expand the cargo space from 24.8 cubic feet to 56.2 cubic feet. Final thoughts The 2025 MINI Countryman ALL4 might not have the most impressive all-electric range, but it's sufficient for most commuters who want the benefit of a compact crossover, all-wheel drive, and gas-free driving. The Countryman ALL4 looks and feels premium and drives on the sporty side compared to most small crossovers in the segment. It's also a great time to get into one with this affordable lease deal. Before signing the lease agreement, make sure to assess costs, including taxes and registration fees, and the amount due at lease. Read the lease agreement carefully and inquire about potential additional costs at the dealership. *Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. The information presented herein is based on manufacturer-provided lease offer information, which is subject to frequent change and may vary based on location, creditworthiness, and other factors. We are not a party to any lease agreements and assume no liability for the terms, conditions, availability, or accuracy of any lease offers mentioned. All terms, including but not limited to pricing, mileage allowances, and residual values, require direct verification with an authorized local OEM dealership. This article does not constitute financial advice or an endorsement of any particular lease or vehicle. About the Author Amos Kwon View Profile
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Jellycat: Independent shops devastated as brand pulls supply
Jellycat plush toys have been lining the walls at Rumours in Whitby for more than two times, they've taken up a third of the North Yorkshire gift shop's total shelf space. "They've always been a good seller," said manager Joe Orrell, whose father owns the last month, Mr Orrell received an email he "couldn't quite believe".Jellycat, the British soft toy company, told him it would no longer be supplying Rumours. It did not provide a reason."We were absolutely gutted," Mr Orrell said. Sales of the brand's toys made up a "significant portion" of the shop's income. The BBC spoke to owners and managers from four independent shops who said they had been hurt and surprised when Jellycat abruptly told them it would stop supplying them."Unfortunately we're not able to support every shop that wants to stock our products and, after very careful consideration, we recently reviewed our relationship with some stores," Jellycat said in a statement. It put this figure at 100 stores in the UK. "We're truly grateful for their historic support and wish them all the best for the future," it said, adding it still supplied about 1,200 independent stores. Puddleducks, a children's clothing store in Diggle, near Oldham, had been selling Jellycat toys for close to 20 brand had "really taken off" in popularity over the past year, said owner Alison McCabe, and some weeks she sold hundreds of items. She would be "inundated" with messages from customers asking which items her shop had in stock, she after what she described as months of difficulty getting hold of stock, Jellycat contacted her in mid-June telling her it would no longer supply her. The emails to stockists who were being cut off were sent on 18 June and appear to be identical in content, apart from the name of the shop. The owners and managers were not addressed by name, with the emails instead addressed to a "Jellycat stockist"."We're sorry to let you know that, after careful consideration, we'll no longer be supplying Jellycat products to Rumours," the email to Mr Orrell, viewed by the BBC, said. This was related to its "brand elevation strategy", it added."Please do not place more orders as they will not be fulfilled," the email continued. "Our decision to conclude the business relationship is final and not open to negotiation."Jellycat did not explain in the emails why it cut the businesses off."We can only think that we're not good enough," Mrs McCabe said, adding she did not know if she could make any changes to encourage Jellycat to start supplying her group of store owners, who Jellycat says are among the 1,200 still being supplied, were told they would not be what Jellycat called an "official stockist" but their accounts were "unaffected". The BBC understands this means Jellycat would still supply them with stock, where available, but would not given them an Official Jellycat Stockist sticker to display in their shop in this group was Erica Stahl, owner of Pippin, a gift shop in Edinburgh. She told the BBC she was "speechless" when she read the email and that she chose to close her told the BBC: "We select our stockists carefully so that we know customers will receive a joyful experience in their stores, and so Jellycat characters can be found throughout the country." Jellycat became a TikTok hit Shop owners told the BBC Jellycat's toys had always been a stable seller, bought as gifts for newborns or by children saving up pocket money. Then, last summer, the brand boomed in store owners credited this to the toys becoming hugely popular on TikTok and Instagram, with collectors showing off their toys have also been a growing trend among "kidults" - adults with a strong interest in toys and childish ephemera, such as Lego and Sonny Angels dolls. In recent years, Jellycat has become increasingly focused on the theatricality of presenting its products, with big "immersive" displays at some large department stores. At Selfridges in London, toys are displayed around a pretend fish and chip van and wrapped up like a take-away by staff. Jellycat also opened a "diner" in New York City and a "patisserie" in Paris - all in gentle shades of blue, with shelves of neatly arranged toys, which fans began to post about on social brand said presentation was just one factor it considered when reviewing partnerships with stores. Jellycat also told the BBC it had visited all its independent stores in person. 'Dribs and drabs' of stock However, with Jellycat's rise in popularity, came changes to the availability of stock, the shop owners approximately the last 12 months, since the toys became more of an online trend, Mr Orrell said stock would only arrive in "dribs and drabs" and his shop had had to reduce the size of its Jellycat display. Collectors visiting his store were getting "more and more disappointed" with what was Kenyon, co-owner of JAK Hanson, a department store near Wigan, said he would wait months for some orders, or they would arrive incomplete. Customers would travel from around the UK to buy Jellycat toys from his store, but he couldn't advise customers on when stock was arriving as he didn't owners and managers said they felt Jellycat was prioritising its relationships with bigger retailers."It became nearly impossible to even order any of the bestselling stock," said Miss Stahl."Small independents like myself are only allowed to order from a list of random mismatched odds and ends that the big shops clearly didn't want," she said. Charlotte Stray, of Keydell Nurseries in Hampshire, agreed. Independent stores were "pushed to the back of the queue" for stock, she Keydell Nurseries got the letter in June saying Jellycat would no longer be supplying it, "we weren't happy, but we'd been disappointed in the last six, eight months over the supply anyway," Mrs Stray said."We've been increasing our supply to both types of stores - small independents and national retailers - at the overall same rate," Jellycat told the BBC. "Keeping all our partners well stocked remains a challenge, and we're constantly working behind the scenes to improve how we plan, allocate and deliver stock as fairly and thoughtfully as we can."The company said independent stores would continue to be "as important in our future as they've been in our past". 'It's left a really sour taste in my mouth' Mrs Stray said that by cutting off some stockists, Jellycat was "crushing independent stores", who had supported the brand from the start and relied on it for a big portion of their have said they are not happy about how Jellycat has treated independent stores, with negative comments flooding the brand's recent social media posts. A post by Miss Stahl on her shop's Instagram account about Jellycat telling her she did not qualify as an "official stockist" has nearly 50,000 likes, with many commenters criticising the brand's conduct."I think they've really let themselves down," Bex Christensen, 38, a photographer from Nork Yorkshire, told the BBC. She's been collecting Jellycat toys for more than 20 years and "it's always been from independent shops", she also buys the toys for her two children and estimates that, between them, they have about 100 Jellycat toys at home."As a purchaser, it's made it really difficult because my kids love it - but it's left a really sour taste in my mouth," she said. "Jellycat grew off independent businesses."Jellycat told the BBC it was doing more than ever to support the independent stores it works with, and was planning new initiatives and stores the BBC spoke to said they were going to stock different plush toys Orrell is optimistic about the future of his business."We'll certainly survive," he said. "We've been going a lot longer than Jellycat have. We're not too concerned."
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Lib Dem council claims four-day week for staff is a success ahead of vote to make it permanent - but locals hit out at 'deteriorating' services
The four-day working week hailed by its Lib Dem-run council as a success has been met with uproar from its constituents. South Cambridgeshire district council became the first local authority to trial staff working 80per cent of their contracted hours for full pay as long as they maintained full productivity. The council has said it expects to save about £400,000 annually due to through lower staff turnover and relying less on agency workers - the original dilemma which reportedly inspired the scheme. But locals have hit out at the proposals ahead of a vote to make it permanent next week, saying they are fed up of phone lines going unanswered and waiting on responses to emails. One resident told The Times that they found it unfair council employees were able to work four days a week when constituents had to work five to be able to pay their council taxes - that allegedly go up year after year. Another said: 'How can you do 100 per cent of the work in 80 per cent of the time? You can't, it just shows how little the council expects of their staff. They are now doing 80 per cent of their job in 80 per cent of their time!' One business owner believed the service the council provided had gone down, citing communication issues that they felt were down to the limited availability of council employees. A resident survey found only 45 per cent supported the trial and said refuse collection, council tax services and the customer contact centre had all become worse in that time. The locals' remarks come a week after the council released their survey assessing the scheme during its first 27 months, which was monitored by three universities. They found that nine out of 24 council services improved, 12 remained stable and three declined. The consultation response found that of the 13 services measured, nine got worse while four stayed the same, according to those who live in the area. Those to suffer included bin collections, the communications service, licensing matters and environmental health. A business survey found that of the ten services measured, one got worse, four stayed the same and five recorded no result. No increases in satisfaction for services were recorded. Cambourne resident Jill Hyne, 79, said 'if it was a private company then that's fair, they decide the hours. But this is a council service with taxpayers' involved'. Tutor Wendy Lee, 54, added that she was unsure how the employees hours and work could be effectively monitored. Despite locals' concerns, there was 120 per cent increase in job applications and a 40 per cent fall in staff turnover. There were some who did believe the trial to be effective, with one telling The Times: 'They're saving money and they're doing it in a way so that the work hasn't lost its productivity. I don't care about the days they work as long as they're building a long-term efficient workforce.' Elliot Keck of the Taxpayers' Alliance said the survey results were 'devastating' and the response of residents had been 'brutal'. 'South Cambridgeshire council has nowhere to hide after this bruising consultation completely collapses its case for the four day week,' he said. 'Wheeling out yet another piece of propaganda masquerading as an independent report will fool no one, given the overwhelmingly negative response from residents and frosty reception from businesses. 'Town hall bosses need to now face the music, apologise to local taxpayers and bring back the full-time council.' Mr Keck further criticised the 'supposedly independent' report compiled by the three universities after a previous report was found to have been edited by the council's chief executive. Heather Williams, leader of the Conservative opposition, said the new report actually showed that resident satisfaction had fallen in every area since the trial began. 'This reaffirmed my view that this is not something we should be doing at the council. It's incredibly unfair that council tax is going up year after year,' she told the Mail. 'Now it's going up to fund council officers not to work a full week. Residents aren't council - we are legally bound to pay our council tax. 'This has to stop. Residents have had their say and we have to take what they say seriously.' In 2023 it emerged that Liz Watts, the council's chief executive, had helped to edit a supposedly independent report on the scheme. It also emerged that she had been working on her PhD during the four-day week. The council have since said the 'data from the trial … will be used in Liz's research'. Len Shackleton, a research fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free market think tank, told the Times there were 'clearly benefits' if staff were happier and stayed in their jobs. But he also questioned whether this was due to workers improving because they know they are under scrutiny. And he warned that rolling out the policy more broadly may also have an inflationary effect as workers in sectors where a four-day week is impossible may demand pay rises to compensate. 'If it works for South Cambridgeshire, good for them. But if this is used as a template for every council across the country, you might run into problems,' he added. Defending the policy, council leader Ms Smith said South Cambridgeshire was 'now offering more stable services, with improved wellbeing and performance'.
