With operating costs high and consumer sentiment waning, even some of the most well-known fashion brands have had a tough 2026.
More than 100 years after it was established out of Seattle in 1920, outdoor clothing and recreation gear Eddie Bauer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2026.
Sustainable shoe brand Allbirds also closed all of its U.S. stores while selling its business and intellectual property rights to American Exchange Group while women’s fashion and accessories clothing retailer Francesca’s also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and closed more than 400 stores in a complete shutdown.
Russell & Bromley closed 400 locations since going into administration at the start of 2026
In January 2026, British shoe retailer and high street shop Russell & Bromley entered administration proceedings with total debts equaling over £59 million ($79 million USD). Administration is the procedure closest to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S., with the key difference being that the in the UK companies are not given a chance to restructure on their own — an independent administrator is assigned at the very start of the process.
Russell & Bromley was founded in 1873 by shoemaker George Bromley and the father of his fiancée, Albion Russell. It operated as a family-run business since that time and developed a number of clog and boot styles signature to the brand.
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Immediately following World War II, the owners transitioned the company from a practical local brand to a high-end fashion name by opening stores in several main shopping streets in London.
While the footwear was largely made abroad using Italian leathers, Russell & Bromley has also evolved into a well-recognized British name that has come to represent home-grown production that has largely been pushed out by fast fashion in recent decades.
British clothing and footwear giant Next bought the Russell & Bromley brand for £2.5 million ($3.35 million USD). And as now reported by local British press, only three of the 43 stores that operated throughout the UK are currently open for business.
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These are the only Russell & Bromley stores still open in 2026
As part of the insolvency process, evaluators looked at the viability of the company’s physical assets and store portfolio. Next ended up keeping just three outlets, two of which are in London and one in Stone in the West Midlands, while the widespread closures resulted in the loss of over 400 jobs for employees who worked for Russell & Bromley.
Some of these stores were shut down before the administration process while the majority were closed down by Next immediately after in a slow disappearance that may have gone unnoticed by all but the most loyal shoppers.
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As with most other fashion retailers that struggled in recent years, Russell & Bromley was unable to adapt to shifting consumer patterns, the rise of online shopping and the rising costs of operating brick-and-mortar stores with low foot traffic.
“Industry sources indicate Next’s interest lies solely in the Russell & Bromley name rather than its physical store network or existing stock,” British outlet GB News reported on the purchase earlier in the year.
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