The Fall Of Claire's

Claire’s is an American retailer of accessories, jewellery and makeup marketed primarily towards young tween and teen girls. They have stores across 37 countries and are notable for their ear-piercing service, of which they claim they have done more than any other retailer.

They were founded in 1961, and since the 1980s – they have been a pillar of shopping for young women. However, in recent years, they have begun to experience a fall. The extent of this is evident in them having to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy twice within seven years as of 2025. Furthermore, there is risk across the 306 stores in the UK and Ireland, creating insecurity for over 2,150 jobs.

But why has this high-street beacon fallen?

Consumer Habits:

Claire’s is a chain found primarily within the mall – an industry that itself is insecure. In-person browsing, and impulse purchases have been eroded by the digitalisation of shopping, and hence Gen Z and Gen Alpha are less likely to splurge.

Furthermore, these malls are getting less footfall than ever before, a fact intrinsically linked to our post-Pandemic period and the rise in online shopping. This method of retail is made all the more attractive by the recent growth in fast fashion with TikTok shop, Shein, and Temu: offering low prices and faster trend cycles.

Changing Trends:

Additionally, at surface-level, because of these fast-fashion stores, the current target consumers have new expectations that Claire’s is not meeting. They expect personalisation, rapid trend response, and digital engagement, which chains like Claire’s just cannot keep up with.

More specifically to the products sold by this legacy store, young women have a vested interest in makeup and skincare that simply does not align with the Claire’s brand. This is not a rule of thumb, but because of the consumption of social media at an increasingly young age, younger girls seem to be too old for Claire’s seemingly age-appropriate products. The brand is colourful, sparkly, and kitschy – while makeup trends since COVID-19 has been minimalistic and sleek. There is also the additional layer of pressure for young girls to appear as more mature, and hence there is an anxiety for them to distance themselves from the vibes of the retailer which are deemed too “immature”.

These factors, in cumulation with the ever-growing rents and tariffs, have caused Claire’s to fall.

Can Claire’s be Saved?

While at this point, the store may be beyond helping, there is a market they could tap back into: adult Gen Z and millennials. These are the last consumers for whom Claire’s was so prevalent, and hence if the chain focused upon nostalgia, it could be reperceived as retro. Moreover, if the store was to move primarily online, in addition to pop-up shops within more relevant brands, this could reignite interest amongst the current youth.

The trend-pendulum, as we know, will one-day swing back into Claire’s’ favour, but will this be before the brand completely disappears from our high-streets? And can they keep up with changing climate of shopping? Only time will tell.