The Closure of The Vampire’s Wife, and the Future of Independent Fashion Brands
‘The Vampire’s Wife,’ has closed. What does this say about the future of independent brands?
After being up and running for 10 years, the founder of independent fashion brand The Vampire’s Wife, Susie Cave, has finally been forced to close down. This brand was known for its luxurious, gothic, bohemian, and unique style. It was loved by many celebrities such as Kylie Minogue, Sandra Oh, and Cate Blanchett. Even royal, Kate Middleton, was seen on multiple occasions wearing gowns by the brand. However, in May of 2024, The Vampire’s Wife closed its metaphorical doors once and for all. Why? Due to a number of reasons. The main ones being debts still needing settling from the pandemic, and, in Cave’s own words, ‘the upheaval in the wholesale market has had dramatic implications for the brand.’ The economic conditions of today are just too hard for many businesses to survive in what with things like Covid and Brexit continuing to impact consumerism.
What does the closure of this brand mean for other brands like it?
We are now asking ourselves what the closure of a wonderful brand like this means for others just like it. What will the future hold for independent fashion brands, and will more have to deal with the unfortunate fate that The Vampire’s Wife has had to deal with?
According to Vogue Business, the future isn’t exactly bright, what with many other independent brands (Christopher Kane, Dion Lee, amongst others) filing for bankruptcy or entering administration. The challenge for these independent designers, again, comes from the state of the economy. From the pandemic in 2020, to the e-commerce bubble then ‘popping,’ brands have had a lot to navigate in terms of prices being raised, the cost of living and shipping materials also going up, and things just generally getting more and more chaotic and unmanageable.
In this hectic and scary period of decline for independent brands, how will they stay afloat? Will the future really be more shutdowns and closures, or is there some kind of even faint light at the end of fashion business's dark tunnel?
What are the solutions necessary for success?
According to experts, more is needed in order to restabilize and refuel the world of independent fashion. We need new business models and new ways of creating independent businesses and brands. In order to survive in this ever-changing and fluctuating world, independent designers need newer and more unique ideas. They need to be multi-faceted and resilient. Aspirations need to change, balance is needed to feel like you have both creative freedom and are still making a profit, and generally more business knowledge is needed. It’s a tough world out there for creatives in this industry and it will unfortunately likely only get tougher.
The importance and value of not giving up and being resilient
For any budding independents out there, we implore you to stick at it but ensure you are always willing to learn, adapt, and work harder than hard. The future of independent brands and designers may not be blinding, but it isn’t pitch-black either.
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