All stores close as UK fashion retailer in administration

LK Bennett, the womenswear brand founded in London in 1990, entered administration on January 27, 2026, when joint administrators were appointed to oversee the business.

Immediately afterwards, the retailer’s brand and intellectual property were sold to a company affiliated with Gordon Brothers, but its stores and concessions were not included in the transaction.

At the time, the company continued trading through nine standalone stores and 13 concessions across the UK and Ireland while administrators wound down the retail operation.

Those concessions included a department inside John Lewis at Westgate Oxford shopping centre.

Administrators initially expected the remaining stores and concessions to continue trading for up to three months before closing.

However, reports later suggested stock sold out faster than expected, leading to some LK Bennett stores closing ahead of schedule.

Some concession locations continued operating briefly while remaining stock was cleared.

The retailer later confirmed that all stores had closed, with its website displaying a notice stating that its “website and stores are now closed”.

As of August 2026, no LK Bennett stock can be found inside the John Lewis store at Oxford Westgate, marking the end of the fashion chain’s physical presence in the city.

Before its closure, LK Bennett operated concessions within a number of department stores, including John Lewis branches in Oxford, Manchester, Edinburgh, High Wycombe and London’s Oxford Street.

The retailer launched a series of clearance sales following the administration.

In March, reports said products across the business were being sold at discounts of at least 60 per cent as administrators sought to clear remaining stock and prepare stores for closure.

The disappearance of LK Bennett from Britain’s high streets comes during a challenging period for the retail sector, with a number of well-known chains announcing store closures or restructuring plans in recent months.