Alice Mccall enters liquidation

On Friday, Sydney based fashion designer announced her brand Alice McCall would be closing its doors. The label has entered liquidation with insolvency firm Worrells’ principal Matthew Kucianski appointed as liquidator.

Alice McCall started the eponymous brand nearly 20 years ago in. The designer womenswear brand became an international hit ever since its launch at Fashion Week Australia 2004. The Alice McCall brand is currently stocked in over 200 stores worldwide and has featured in various fashion magazines like Vogue and on countless global runways. In 2009, the company launched its ecommerce site which accompanied, at its peak, 15 physical stores across the country, and its listings on fashion marketplaces such as The Iconic.

The designer made the announcement in an Instagram post on Friday. “After 2 decades (20 years), I have come full circle with the brand, Alice McCall. It is time to close the doors, making space for a new chapter in my life. I want to say Thank you and acknowledge all the people that have worn, supported and loved the brand over the years. To me the brand embodied a lightness of spirit, the clothes were something you celebrated life in .”

All three of Alice McCall’s  remaining physical stores have closed their doors and its ecommerce website hosted a clearance sale following the news, now just days later, riddled with sold out notices and 404 errors.

The company began to show signs of decline during the peak of the COVID pandemic. Placed in voluntary admission in November 2020 as skyrocketing costs forced the closure of eight of its then twelve physical stores.

Alice McCall actually emerged from this voluntary administration in early 2021 through a deed of company arrangement (DOCA), surviving its $7 million debt collapse. However, due to ongoing demand and supply chain issues meant that the company was unable to keep up.

According to Ragtrader, insolvency firm Worrells said that despite attempts to restructure its debt and reduce its store footprint in 2020, the company was unable to overcome the challenges posed by the pandemic, and ultimately a decision was made to appoint Worrells to oversee its winding up.

“We will do our utmost to support all stakeholders throughout the liquidation process,” liquidator Kucianski said. “Our team is committed to ensuring that the liquidation process is conducted in a professional and transparent manner, and that all parties are kept informed of developments as they arise.”

Alice McCall closed her Instagram statement with a request for followers to share their memories with the brand over its two decade lifespan, and also an acknowledgement of the brand’s humble beginnings. “I also want to acknowledge the importance of small businesses, in our community, they are the cornerstone in society. We must remember to hold each other up, to make decisions with our heart, and to support each other. We are United and stronger together.”

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