Womenswear brand Dai confirms closure

Sustainable womenswear brand Dai has confirmed that it will close its London store and e-commerce site in December due to the “current financial environment”.

Founder Joanna Dai said on the brand’s website the closure came with a “heavy heart” and that with the current environment facing young brands that it became a “near-impossible challenge” to maintain its vision to offer womenswear while championing sustainability.

Dai added: “We had an incredible six years and momentum on our side. We kept hitting record sales, received countless major press coverage, dressed unbelievable women, and opened eight prominent store locations. We built a community of 65,000+ with our timeless designs, and as a result, we were able to meaningfully support Smart Works. We felt like we were making an impact.

“But it still wasn’t quite enough…”

The B Corp-certified brand known for fusing women’s workwear with the properties of activewear made from innovative, eco-friendly fabrics, said the autumn/winter 2023 collection, named the ‘Greatest Hits Collection’ featuring a compilation of its newest designs and bestselling icons, will be its last and final offering. It will also be closing its doors online and its St. Christopher’s Place store in early December.

Dai said: “For me, Dai was not just another business but a brand with a daring vision to empower women through unprecedented comfort whilst unwaveringly championing sustainability.

“Our commitment to people and planet was unequivocal: we challenged the status quo; we obsessed over new and innovative materials; we scrutinised our supply chain; and we worked with manufacturers who prioritised human welfare. In 2020, we proudly achieved a Certified B Corp score of 97.4, above many venerated global apparel brands.”

She added: “Despite our wins and successfully navigating through unprecedented global events in recent years, we found ourselves at a pivotal moment. The macro environment we and many young brands are facing meant that our path forward became a near-impossible challenge. I have tirelessly explored countless alternatives in this current financial environment.

“But the cost and challenges of upholding our vision for our people and planet became insurmountable. And to survive, yet alone achieve fast-paced commercial growth, it would have meant taking shortcuts which would have compromised our integrity.”