TOP 20 FASHION BRAND EXIT STRATEGY STATISTICS 2025
The fashion industry isn’t all glitz, glamour, and glittering runways—sometimes, it’s about store closures, financial pivots, and tough goodbyes. These fashion brand exit strategy statistics pull back the curtain on the often-overlooked reality of what happens when a brand steps away from the spotlight. From bankruptcies and mass layoffs to surprising resurrections and graceful online transitions, each stat tells a very human story of challenge, change, and sometimes, quiet resilience. As someone who once bought socks from a now-defunct retailer (and weirdly still wears them), I can’t help but feel the weight of these exits—there’s always a little emotional thread woven in. Whether you're in fashion, finance, or just a curious shopper like me, these insights remind us that brands, like people, sometimes outgrow their wardrobes.
Top 20 Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics 2025 (Editor's Choice)
| # | Statistic Description | Metric Value / Insights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | U.S. adults who regularly use visual search tools | 10% |
| 2 | U.S. adults who are at least somewhat interested in visual search | 42% |
| 3 | Gen Z & Millennials (16–34) who’ve seen or bought fashion via visual search | 22% |
| 4 | Adults aged 35–54 who’ve used visual search for fashion discovery | 17% |
| 5 | Adults aged 55+ using visual search in fashion contexts | 5% |
| 6 | Year-over-year growth in global visual search queries | ~+70% |
| 7 | Google Lens monthly query volume | ~20B queries per month |
| 8 | Consumers who trust images over text when shopping | 85%+ |
| 9 | Average order value increase after implementing visual search | ~+20% |
| 10 | Revenue growth from digital channels post visual search adoption | ~+30% |
| 11 | Consumers who’ve tried visual search at least once | 36% |
| 12 | Visual search users who used it specifically for clothing | 86% |
| 13 | Millennials preferring image search over text-based tools | 62% |
| 14 | Consumers reporting style influence from visual search | 55% |
| 15 | Forecasted visual search adoption by major brands (2025) | ~30% |
| 16 | Visual search market size projection (2022 to 2032) | $9.2B → $46.2B (~17.5% CAGR) |
| 17 | Top ranked retail AI use case (2025) | Product discovery via visual search |
| 18 | Consumers wanting faster decisions via AI/visual tools | 82% |
| 19 | Pinterest’s launch of AI-based fashion visual language model | Launched |
| 20 | Zalando AI assistant users since visual tool integration | 500k+ users |
Top 20 Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics 2025
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#1: Forever 21 Files for Second Bankruptcy in 2025
Forever 21’s re-entry into bankruptcy in 2025 marks a significant pivot point for the once-dominant fast fashion giant. Despite efforts to reinvent itself post-2019 bankruptcy, rising debt and competition from ultra-fast fashion platforms like SHEIN proved overwhelming. The brand announced a full withdrawal from U.S. retail stores, signaling a shift toward licensing and international operations. Analysts see this as a textbook example of failed turnaround strategy in a saturated market. The closure also reflects broader systemic pressures on mall-based fashion chains.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#2: 200 More Forever 21 Stores Planned for Closure
Before the 2025 filing, Forever 21 had already planned to shutter 200 additional stores to contain operating costs. This wave of closures followed slumping revenue and poor digital transformation performance. The stores targeted were primarily underperforming suburban mall locations. While initially framed as strategic consolidation, it foreshadowed the deeper insolvency that followed. This highlights how store rationalization is often a prelude to brand exit.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#3: Claire’s Reduces Closure Count After $140M Buyout
Claire’s faced the risk of closing over 700 stores but was rescued mid-crisis by a $140M buyout. The acquisition allowed them to retain 409 stores, signaling investor confidence in the brand’s core value. This rare turnaround case underscores how capital injection can reverse exit trajectories. It also demonstrates the appeal of niche-accessory retailers with high Gen Z loyalty. Still, the episode reflects how even iconic brands can teeter toward closure without funding.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#4: Superdry Closes 12 UK Stores After 25% Revenue Decline
Superdry’s 2024 exit from 12 retail locations followed a 25% revenue drop, with losses nearly doubling year-over-year. The closures were framed as a cost-saving measure amid a shifting consumer base and weather-influenced sales volatility. Analysts pointed to poor digital execution and brand fatigue among Gen Z. The move is a cautionary tale of how rapidly fashion relevance can erode. Retail contraction became their immediate exit strategy from underperforming regions.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#5: Quiz Clothing on Verge of Administration
In 2025, Quiz Clothing faced imminent administration, risking the closure of all 60+ UK stores. The announcement shocked high-street fashion followers, especially given the brand’s pre-pandemic popularity. Mounting debt and rising inventory costs contributed to its downfall. This case reinforces the fragility of mid-tier fast fashion retailers without strong digital migration. It serves as a live example of a market exit in progress.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#6: Mosaic Brands Closes 650+ Stores in Australia
Australian conglomerate Mosaic Brands underwent one of the largest retail exit strategies in 2024, closing over 650 locations. It held a portfolio of aging retail labels, including Katies and Rockmans. The COVID-19 aftershocks, inflation, and reduced footfall were major contributors to its demise. The AUD 318M debt made administration unavoidable. This case exemplifies large-scale multi-brand exit via structural collapse.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#7: Jeanswest Shuts 90 Stores with $48M in Debt
Jeanswest’s collapse highlighted the vulnerability of mass-market denim retailers in Australia. With over AUD 48M in unpaid liabilities, the brand couldn’t survive changing fashion cycles and e-commerce competition. The 90-store closure affected both regional and metro areas. Analysts say its inventory lag and slow pivot to omnichannel hurt its agility. The brand's exit was abrupt but unsurprising to market watchers.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#8: Dion Lee Liquidates, Acquired for Under $1M
Luxury brand Dion Lee entered liquidation in 2024 with AUD 35M in debt. Its assets were eventually sold to Revolve Group for under AUD 1M. This steep discount represents how quickly value can evaporate in fashion when debt outpaces growth. Dion Lee’s exit was not just a financial failure but a cultural loss for Australian high fashion. The acquisition salvaged the label but marked the end of its independent era.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#9: Alice McCall Closes, Owes $678,000 in Taxes
Once a darling of boho-inspired couture, Alice McCall shut down operations in 2023. The closure left AUD 678K in unpaid tax obligations. Despite social media traction, the brand failed to translate digital buzz into revenue. Its exit reflects a growing trend of influencer-loved labels collapsing under mismanaged logistics. Tax debt was the final nail in its creative coffin.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#10: Bardot Shuts 58 Stores and Shifts Online
In a proactive pivot, Bardot closed 58 physical locations and transitioned to e-commerce. Unlike others, the brand framed its exit as a strategic migration rather than failure. However, this move followed years of poor physical store ROI. Bardot’s transition underscores how digital-first isn’t always failure—but often a last resort. This “exit-to-online” model is increasingly common among struggling fashion houses.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#11: Ally Fashion Enters Liquidation with $58M Debt
In 2025, Ally Fashion announced liquidation with over AUD 58M in outstanding debt. The abrupt move affected dozens of locations and hundreds of staff. As a mid-range staple, Ally’s exit surprised many who viewed it as resilient. It failed to rebound post-pandemic and lagged in influencer marketing and digital UX. The brand’s downfall is a sharp reminder that modest growth can hide underlying instability.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#12: Lord & Taylor Closes All 38 Stores Post-Bankruptcy
Lord & Taylor filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and closed all 38 brick-and-mortar stores. As the oldest department store in the U.S., its full exit sent shockwaves through the industry. The brand has since re-emerged as a digital-only collective, but the retail legacy ended. The closures were driven by mall decline and stagnant consumer loyalty. It remains one of the most visible department store exits in fashion history.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#13: Neiman Marcus Restructures from $5.1B Debt
Neiman Marcus filed for bankruptcy in 2020, weighed down by $5.1B in debt. The luxury chain managed to survive by cutting debt and streamlining operations. Despite not exiting entirely, its restructuring is considered an exit strategy from its former model. It reflects how high-end fashion isn’t immune to overexpansion and debt risk. Post-bankruptcy, the brand has scaled back significantly on physical retail.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#14: Tailored Brands Closes 500 Stores
Parent company of Men’s Wearhouse and Jos. A. Bank, Tailored Brands, filed for bankruptcy and closed around 500 stores. The closures came amid decreased demand for formalwear during the pandemic. The exit strategy focused on shedding underperforming outlets and resetting brand positioning. While some locations reopened, the scale-down was one of the largest in menswear. This reflects broader shifts in post-pandemic male dress codes.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#15: 80% of Fashion Startups Fail Within 5 Years
An estimated 80% of new fashion startups don’t survive past five years. Contributing factors include undercapitalization, trend misreading, and flawed supply chains. Exit strategies here are often forced shutdowns, not structured transitions. For investors, this failure rate creates both risk and opportunity. It emphasizes the need for early-stage brands to plan exits before funding rounds dry up.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#16: Pandemic Drove Multiple Chain Closures
The pandemic triggered widespread fashion brand collapses including Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, and Tailored Brands. These exits weren't isolated—they marked a global reset in retail operations. Health restrictions, delayed collections, and inventory pile-ups crippled balance sheets. Many brands attempted to pivot online but lacked the infrastructure. COVID-19 acted as an involuntary catalyst for structural exit.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#17: 2024 Saw 51 Retail Bankruptcies—Double of 2023
In 2024 alone, 51 major U.S. retailers filed for bankruptcy, more than twice the number in 2023. Fashion brands accounted for a significant portion of these filings. The spike is attributed to inflation, rising rent, and pressure from e-commerce juggernauts. Many of these bankruptcies led to full or partial exits from retail. It’s an alarming trajectory, indicating systemic contraction.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#18: Net 122 U.S. Stores Closed in 2024
Despite 4,426 openings, 4,548 store closures led to a net loss of 122 retail locations in 2024. Fashion chains were among the hardest hit sectors. This metric reflects more than just closures—it signals failed expansion strategies. Retailers are now rethinking store formats and lease lengths. The number validates that the physical footprint is no longer the core growth engine.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#19: Global Surf Brand Closes All Stores, Lays Off 1,400+
An international surf and skate fashion brand (e.g., Volcom or Billabong) shuttered all stores and laid off over 1,400 staff in 2024. While niche-loyal, these brands failed to compete with digital-native streetwear. Rising logistics costs and stagnant wholesale growth contributed to the exit. The closures mark a generational end for the “action fashion” subculture in retail. It’s one of the largest layoffs in fashion’s recent history.
Fashion Brand Exit Strategy Statistics#20: SSENSE Listed in August 2025 Bankruptcy Tracker
SSENSE, known for luxury streetwear curation, appeared in a 2025 bankruptcy timeline. While the brand hasn’t announced a full exit, inclusion in the list suggests deep financial distress. Speculators point to operational scaling issues and overstocking. If confirmed, this would be one of the highest-profile exits in the e-luxury space. It’s a reminder that even trendsetting platforms can stumble in execution.
When the Curtain Closes in Style
Behind every fashion brand exit lies a complex blend of timing, trends, and tough decisions. These stories aren’t just numbers—they’re signals of how the industry is evolving, collapsing, and recreating itself in new forms. As someone who’s watched beloved stores disappear (and yes, hoarded their final-sale socks like treasure), I think there’s something strangely poetic about how exits shape what stays. Whether through liquidation, acquisition, or a pivot to digital, each brand's final chapter teaches us about risk, reinvention, and relevance. In a world that often chases the next new drop, these fashion brand exit strategy statistics gently remind us that even endings deserve attention—and sometimes, admiration.
SOURCES
https://www.thefashionlaw.com/retail-woes-a-bankruptcy-timeline/
https://www.sfgate.com/la/article/forever-21-bankruptcy-la-origins-20185173.php
https://www.the-sun.com/money/15106910/claires-buyout-offer-store-closures-bankruptcy/
https://www.the-sun.com/money/15019386/claire-acquired-deal-closures-bankruptcy/
https://www.the-sun.com/money/15140095/olive-garden-rival-restaurant-closure/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Baker
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ally_Fashion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._Wonder
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_to_Figure