Iconic British fashion brand has closed and it’s heartbreaking

Joanie Clothing has announced its shock closure, and people have been left gutted at the announcement – including me. 

In a lengthy statement which spanned several ‘slides’ on Instagram,the fashion brand, which was known for its retro and quirky prints, explained that it’s been a “proudly independent brand and business for over nine years,” but it no longer has the “strength and means to keep going”.

“In recent years, we have met with so many challenges, too many outside of our control. Brexit, Covid, economic uncertainty, and most recently barriers to international growth in the form of new tariffs and conflicts, each have taken their toll,” the retailer penned.

The brand is “currently unable to accept any orders,” captioning on Instagram that “Joanie has entered its final chapter”.

And I’m not the only one who is gutted for this small business, who seem to have been around forever. People are up in arms on social media.

First, for me, I think it’s such a devastating loss because in a world where plus-size people are constantly being told to shrink, it was a business that proudly stocked up to UK size 26, allowing people in bigger bodies to also be fashionable and wear exactly what they want, too.

This inclusion is something the high street as a whole lacks, with many brands, including most items in the Topshop relaunch, only going up to a size 16. In fact, out of 4,567 items currently on the ASOS website on Topshop, just 911 styles are available in a size 18. No styles are available in sizes 20 or bigger.

This is really jarring to me, as when I worked in Topshop in 2017, they were bringing in size 18 online and in-store. They even launched a plus-size range when the physical stores shut, and it went online to ASOS. But in our weight loss jabs-obsessed current mindset, plus-size representation seems to be fading away.

Plus-size people deserve to be fashionable, too, and Joanie understood that. They didn’t change the fit or the style as the garment got bigger, which some brands still do, assuming people in sizes 18 and above would never want to get their backs out.

Joanie had a really unique style as well, which resonated with so many people. While it wasn’t personally overly my style (although I do love my ‘Cat Lady’ jumper), I can see why people adored it. From 50s style dresses that fit and flare, to cool jumpsuits to flatter any figure, it will be a loss to this niche in the market.

Dawn O’Porter, who previously designed collections for Joanie, was gutted at the news. She wrote: “Designing for my beloved Joanie was one of the highlights of my career. We haven’t done a collection in so long and I always hoped we would again. And then I see this post.

“I’m heartbroken for them. Truly THE BEST people to work for. I will cherish the memories and my dresses forever. So lucky to have been a part of it”.

Someone took to Threads to express her disappointment, penning: “Words can’t express how gutted I am that Joanie clothing is closing. My favourite brand of all time. I’ll be lost without them. A brand I could trust”.

Another responded saying there was a lot “on Vinted,” so she should take a look at it. A woman said: “Roughly half of my wardrobe is from there. Where is a gal supposed to find work-appropriate dinosaur prints now?”

“Their size-inclusivity will be missed as well as their joyous patterns and colours,” somebody else shared.

Let’s hope that 2026 is the year that all brands finally realise that stocking the same outfit from size 4 to 30 should just be standard, as you can be fashionable at any size.