Oh no, Joules is one of my favourites.

Far too expensive.
They should have lowered their prices. There is a lot of competition out there.

I have found that Seasalt has a mixture of things, some very good some not so and they seem keen on 3/4 sleeves which I dont like but have had some very good stuff from them and the shop and staff are very nice and easy to get round . Might be worth a look for some of you. Not cheap but have found stuff washes well and I get a lot of use from them all - but then dont give a toss about fashion, look for what I like, expect it to last a good while and suits me.

Yes it's a shame, but quality had declined and prices increased.
I won a £100 Joules voucher in a competition a while back but didn't get much for my money. None of it lasted long. It's a shame to build up a good reputation for quality then renage on it.

You can’t have it both ways.
Manufacturing costs have increased all over the world and unless we are prepared to turn a blind eye to sweatshops in Leicester or Bangladesh we have to accept that prices go up.
UK shoppers we have always sought out bargains and (sadly IMO) prioritised “cheap” over quality or UK produced. Look at the tweed industry of Yorkshire or Scotland, knitwear -again largely from Scotland or the North of England . What do they all have in common? A sharp decline in business driven by “the cost of everything, but the value of nothing”.
This is what happens.

Agree with your post 100% Maw

But from what I can gather on this thread, much of Joules’ stuff is manufactured in places such as China, so no real excuse go4 their high prices?

I’ve never been in a Joules shop - there are none around here. 😕 However, I’ve just bought a Joules jacket on Vinted. The quality seems good, but it’s very small so I’ll be re-selling it. 😕

Thing is a lot of them now charge too much as folk cant afford to pay those prices.Not if its between buying an expensive jumper etc or paying for food & fuel.

I think there will be a shake-up in retail soon.

There will be a few good, higher end (but not 'designer') brands selling quality items that people expect to last, and cheaper 'fast fashion' for the young who want to change their look more often and for those who can't afford the better things. The rich will continue to spend thousands on clothes, shoes and bags as always, but the current 'mass market' will either move one way or the other, or will lose out.

I predict that Next, White Stuff and similar will struggle to hold market share, as their things are not well made and are pricey for what they are. Shops like Hobbs, Reiss and LK Bennett will probably manage but with lower profits, and Peacocks, H&M etc will continue to sell to the younger/cheaper market.

Clarks will probably broaden its appeal as it seeks decent shoes to a wide range of markets, and other stores will have to do the same to survive.

Didn't LK Bennett go into administration a few years back? I remember them closing several stores. The saving grace for LKB is that the Duchess of Cambridge is fond of their clothes and often wears the label.

Oh, possibly . I am not a fashionista by any means. I was just mentally going through my wardrobe thinking of things I've had for ages that have lasted well.

Well I seem to bestow the kiss of death on clothing firms - I used to find great trouser suits from M&S, buy smart but comfy shoes and boots from Hotter, always found something I liked in Joules and when all else failed I could rely on John Lewis.
See what I mean?
Based on my current shopping I would advise anybody NOT to buy shares in White Stuff or SeaSalt.

Doodledog ....... Hobbs and Reiss, nice taste of clothing in your wardrobe!
But Joules is preferable for me when dog walking.

used to find great trouser suits from M&S
Per Una did soft (Italian) ones in the 90s and I had 3 such smart suits for work.

Just checking here, if we buy stuff from Joules now as Christmas presents, can the recipients exchange them or get a refund if the company goes bust?

I wonder if they may go on line like Debenhams, Wallis, Dorothy Perkins etc but I wouldn’t risk purchasing gifts or vouchers for other people just in case.

Greciangirl

Far too expensive.
They should have lowered their prices. There is a lot of competition out there.

A ot of very unfair competition- based on polluting other countries and using slave or borderline slave labour. We customers have a responsibility to try and understand this.

Remember the 'it is that 1£ t-shirt' monologue?

Joseanne

Doodledog ....... Hobbs and Reiss, nice taste of clothing in your wardrobe!
But Joules is preferable for me when dog walking.

I deliberately picked items I've had for ages but are still in commission - a Hobbs coat and LKB shoes came immediately to mind. I don't wear either every day - I'm more a leggings and long jumper sort of girl .

Sarah74

But from what I can gather on this thread, much of Joules’ stuff is manufactured in places such as China, so no real excuse go4 their high prices?

The cost of importing has gone up hugely recently, for all sorts of reasons. A major factor is the fall of Sterling value, which has made importing anything much more expensive. Same for medicines, vaccines, EVERYTHING. With very tight margin- enough to tip the balance.

Most of us are guilty- mea culpa too

fb.watch/gRXeK5x7k-/

Maybe Ted Baker, as a British fashion brand, could step into the place of Joules? Its not as luxury as it tries to make out and I believe the company is keen to work towards reducing its environmental impact.

Fleurpepper

Sarah74

But from what I can gather on this thread, much of Joules’ stuff is manufactured in places such as China, so no real excuse go4 their high prices?

The cost of importing has gone up hugely recently, for all sorts of reasons. A major factor is the fall of Sterling value, which has made importing anything much more expensive. Same for medicines, vaccines, EVERYTHING. With very tight margin- enough to tip the balance.

But my point was, they shouldn’t be importing - they should be manufacturing their clothes here….

Oh I so agree. I remember the days when Leicester was full of quality clothing companies, including Corah that made all the clothes for M&S. The factory shop was a real help for us young mums.

But even if the clothes were made here (with much higher wage costs, social security contributions, etc,) - much of the materials have to be imported.

MawtheMerrier

Well I seem to bestow the kiss of death on clothing firms - I used to find great trouser suits from M&S, buy smart but comfy shoes and boots from Hotter, always found something I liked in Joules and when all else failed I could rely on John Lewis.
See what I mean?
Based on my current shopping I would advise anybody NOT to buy shares in White Stuff or SeaSalt.

Aha! So, this is why White Stuff has gone downhill recently! I thought it was because the quality of the designs and fabrics seems to be slipping while the prices rise but it must be something else....................