End of an Era for Claire's on UK High Streets
Not long ago, friends Lucy Craddock and Taylor Crouch frequented Claire's stores. However, when they passed the former Claire's location on Oxford Street in central London this Tuesday, the once vibrant shop was shuttered and covered in hoarding following the closure of all outlets.
"It's very sad, because it's [our] childhood," Lucy reflected outside the closed store.
"I got my ears pierced at Claire's when I was little," Taylor added, noting that they now prefer shopping at other jewellery chains like Lovisa.
Nell Campbell, 34, described the closure as "a little bit sad," recalling getting her ears pierced there at age 12 or 13.
"It definitely holds childhood memories," she said.
Despite this, Nell has not visited Claire's since her teenage years and expressed no surprise at the chain's closure, citing the emergence of many exciting new brands.
Industry experts attribute Claire's downfall to a combination of factors including a post-Covid decline in consumer spending, intense competition from low-cost online retailers, and the brand's inability to keep pace with evolving fashion trends.
All 154 Claire's stores across the UK and Ireland have now closed, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,300 jobs and concluding a tumultuous year for the company.
"Claire's just wasn't cutting it in the same way anymore," said Danni Hewson, head of financial analysis at AJ Bell.
Claire's Growth and Decline
Founded in the United States, Claire's entered British high streets in the late 1990s, specializing in jewellery and accessories primarily targeted at tween and teenage girls, alongside ear piercing services.
By the end of 2012, the company operated over 3,000 stores across North America and Europe, with franchises and outlets extending into the Middle East, Asia, and South America.
However, the brand's popularity began to diminish as teenagers shifted away from the colourful earrings, necklaces, and hair accessories that had defined Claire's offerings, according to fashion expert Priya Raj.
"Really the collapse of Claire's in the UK says a lot about how pre-teen and teen tastes and shopping preferences have evolved in the last decade," Raj explained.
The pandemic accelerated this trend, with teens increasingly turning to online retailers such as Shein and Temu for more affordable accessories. The rise of platforms like TikTok Shop and second-hand marketplaces including Vinted and Depop further expanded their options, Hewson noted.
Raj concurred: "We've gone from a high-street driven, cookie cutter approach to an evolving, social media driven market."
Claire's also lacked additional in-store experiences, such as make-up lessons, which could have attracted customers.
"It just provided stuff. And that just wasn't enough to get people to go in," Raj said.
Financial Struggles and Administration
These challenges culminated in severe difficulties for the company. Claire's US-based parent first filed for bankruptcy in 2018. In August 2022, the US arm filed for bankruptcy a second time, a decision described by CEO Chris Cramer as "difficult but necessary."
Shortly thereafter, the UK division entered administration but was acquired by Modella Capital, resulting in the closure of approximately 145 stores and the loss of 1,000 jobs.
Despite this, by January 2023, Modella placed Claire's into administration again, citing the persistently challenging conditions on UK high streets.
Richard Hunt, director at Liquidation Centre, emphasized the broader retail environment's impact, noting that UK retailers face rising rents, increased business rates, and declining foot traffic.
"Claire's was particularly vulnerable because it relied on physical stores in shopping centres and depended more heavily on impulse buys, which are rarer today with the rise of online shopping," Hunt explained.
"This failure to adapt ultimately put financial strain on the business, as its model became increasingly vulnerable."
Customer Reflections and Nostalgia
Sylvia Wright shared her experience as a former Claire's customer for her two children, who are now adults.
"They used to absolutely love it," she said, though she noted they stopped shopping there as they grew older.
Claire's remains a nostalgic brand for many, but Hewson stated that a significant revamp would have been necessary to attract younger generations back to stores—an undertaking that proved impossible in recent months.
"You add into all of that a cost of living crisis, which meant that parents were really struggling to find any disposable income in order to buy the kind of pink goodness that you would find at Claire's, and it just felt like it never really stood a chance."
Additional reporting by Faarea Masud.
