Irregular Choice announces closure after 26 years in business
Remember the quirky, whimsical shoes that stomped the streets of Carnaby Street and Camden circa the early 2000s? Irregular Choice, the so-called eccentric British footwear brand, has announced it is closing down after 26 years in business as pressures mount on independent fashion brands.
Founder and designer Dan Sullivan confirmed in a statement that the Brighton-based business will close its flagship store on 28 September, with its website to follow in the coming weeks.
A "Big Clearout Sale" has been launched to clear remaining stock. Sullivan cited a combination of challenges that have proved too difficult to overcome. These include the lingering impact of the pandemic, rising costs, economic uncertainty and the liquidation of its main distributor, which left the company and its long-term factory partner owed a substantial sum of money.
As an added layer, Irregular Choice’s primary factory - a small, family-run business that had produced its shoes for over 25 years - has also been forced to close. The brand’s complex and detail-heavy designs will be difficult to replicate elsewhere, making relocation a steep challenge.
The closure of Irregular Choice reflects wider difficulties across the fashion retail landscape, particularly for small and mid-sized independent brands that lack the cash reserves or financial backing of larger players. Rising production costs, inflation, supply chain disruptions, and a retail sector still in recovery from the pandemic have created an environment where niche and creative businesses often struggle to survive. Meanwhile, consumer spending on non-essential fashion has tightened amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Since its launch in 1999, Irregular Choice has carved out a distinctive place in British fashion. With its statement-making shoes - think unicorn heels, bold prints, sequins and playful embellishments - it built a global fanbase drawn to its unapologetic individuality and sense of fun. For many consumers, Irregular Choice was more than a footwear brand; it was a celebration of creativity and self-expression at a time when mainstream fashion often skewed minimalistic.
Sullivan has not ruled out the possibility of a return, but acknowledged that finding a factory capable of producing Irregular Choice’s intricate designs will be a challenge.
For now, the brand is stepping back to "re-evaluate what the future may hold."
"I hope it isn’t goodbye forever," Sullivan said. "Irregular Choice has encapsulated the creativity, the fun, and the diversity that I have strived to bring to the world over the last 26 years."
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