Fashion retailer C. Wonder made a significant splash in the retail world when the brand debuted in 2011. Developed by Christopher Burch — a retail entrepreneur, founder of Burch Creative Capital and ex-husband of luxury designer Tory Burch — C. Wonder became known for its whimsical designs and creative approach to customer acquisition and engagement. But today we may be witnessing the sudden collapse of the budding brand…
Yesterday morning, Jan. 5, 2015, C. Wonder called an internal “town meeting” to inform employees that the brand would inevitably be shutting down, according to a report from BuzzFeed. Only a small group of employees will remain with the company until it closes completely.
“Due to the highly competitive nature of the current retail environment, C. Wonder will be closing its remaining stores,” a C. Wonder spokesperson said in an article from The Cut. “The Company continues to evaluate its best alternative to maintain the C. Wonder experience for its customers.”
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Within one day, C. Wonder deleted all of its social accounts, including Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Only local accounts for specific stores remain. C. Wonder also continues to promote steep discounts, which aligns with BuzzFeed’s report that the e-Commerce site is slated to go dark by the end of next week.
An Aggressive Retail Beginning
From the start, C. Wonder took an aggressive approach to expansion, opening a flagship store in SoHo, New York City, then quickly growing the brand to include 30 stores nationwide. The retailer also was assertive when it came to implementing technology: C. Wonder was one of the first merchants to roll out mobile POS in stores, spotlighting the company as an innovator in the industry.
Currently, only 11 U.S. stores, one seasonal location in Nantucket, Mass., and three international stores are listed on the C. Wonder web site. This sudden change validates reports made by BuzzFeed News in November that C. Wonder would close majority of its stores to become a wholesaler. However, when the news was first released, executives adamantly denied the claims, calling the reports “off-base.” Instead, sources told Women’s Wear Daily that C. Wonder was “rationalizing its store fleet and will be focusing on its most profitable stores.”
It is still too early to determine where C. Wonder is headed, but Retail TouchPoints will share updates as soon as they are available.
