The high street has taken another hit. From WH Smith shutting most of its stores earlier this year, we’re now losing another staple – Claire’s.
Whether or not you were a loyal customer – the free ear piercings were once a rite of passage and the glitter hairspray a must-have for tweens – or you’ve browsed its products looking for a gift for a younger relative, it has been a constant on our high streets for decades. Now, Claire’s is the latest high-street brand to close its doors. It has declined from on-trend to outdated – with its once-cool, quirky accessories now looking uninspiring and lacklustre.
But it used to be a very different story for the retailer. Claire’s found success in the 90s by carving out its niche in a crowded industry. Targeting tweens with low prices, it was the place to go to spend your pocket money. And its popularity means there is an entire generation that feels a warm sense of nostalgia whenever they think of Claire’s. But nostalgia only gets a brand so far. They also need a loyal, engaged customer base.
The tweens who once fell in love with the brand are all grown up. They have entirely different priorities, interests and spending habits. Claire’s not only failed to keep up with this generation, it has also fallen short in attracting a new generation of customers. The retailer thrived in understanding its customers many years ago, but today it just doesn’t know how to speak the language of generations Z and Alpha.
Failing to move with the times
Claire’s decline began when it failed to adapt. Nothing has changed with the brand over the past few decades. From the layout of its stores to its branding to stocking the same sort of products it’s always sold, Claire’s today is still the Claire’s of millennials’ youth.
The brand claims it wants to be part of the special moments in people’s lives. But the shopping experience, which arguably should be one of those special moments, is far from that. Expectations have also evolved when it comes to the in-store shopping experience. A Claire’s store hasn’t changed over the years, with cluttered shelves that feel like a jumble sale, rather than the clean, minimal displays favoured by today’s “quiet luxury” devotees. As a result, stores feel dated. People are no longer excited to visit Claire’s.
Fashion and beauty brands need to move very quickly to keep up with trends. But Claire’s products didn’t change with fashions. Brands such as Zara and H&M, with their fast turnover of styles and their ability to respond to TikTok-fuelled microtrends, are better answering the needs of Gen Z.
How Claire’s competitors took the lead
Brands that continue to perform well were those that learned the importance of multi-channel experiences. Claire’s online experience, in comparison, is clunky and feels outdated. And of course, competition online includes the likes of Shein and Temu, which are masters at following trends.
Claire’s jewellery, once seen as accessible and an exciting use of pocket money, is now viewed as cheap and tacky. And that sense of disposability is also at odds with younger generations, who are far more aware of the impact such products have on the environment.
Beauty products have also moved on. Teenagers have a wealth of affordable products available to them, such as Bubble, CeraVe, e.l.f. and Glossier. The artificial and dated look of Claire’s products no longer appeals to their core audience.
Sephora and Glossier are the perfect examples of retailers that are appealing to tweens through their customer experience. Sephora, which recently relaunched in the UK and aims to open 20 stores by 2027 due to its success, is offering an experience that shoppers can’t find anywhere else. Its flagship stores have Beauty Hubs, which offer professional treatments such as express facials and makeovers. Shops are styled as ‘beauty playgrounds’, which feature AR-enabled mirrors, lipstick bars, fragrance engraving and virtual shade finders. Comparing this experience to the outdated Claire’s stores, it’s clear to see why retailers like Sephora are thriving.
A missed opportunity
Claire’s demise has been on the cards for a while, but that’s not to say that its fate was sealed. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a revival in all things nostalgia, which many brands have successfully used to their advantage. The Oasis reunion saw brands leverage its popularity, such as Aldi’s ‘Aldeh’ rebranding of its Manchester store and Lidl’s replica of the famous parka. Many brands capitalised on the ‘dumb phone’ resurgence by launching their own versions, such as Mattel’s Barbie flip-phone and Heineken’s Boring Phone app, which shuts down other apps to turn a smartphone into a dumb phone.
The 90’s nostalgic resurgence could have been a pivotal moment for Claire’s. But while many brands successfully jumped on the trend with product extensions and partnerships, Claire’s didn’t manage to ride the wave.
The lesson for other brands is clear: evolve with the needs of your customer base and keep on top of the latest trends – or run the risk of being discarded like a cheap glitter earring that has lost its sparkle.
Vicky Bullen is the CEO at design agency Coley Porter Bell
The high street has taken another hit. From WH Smith shutting most of its stores earlier this year, we’re now losing another staple – Claire’s.
Whether or not you were a loyal customer – the free ear piercings were once a rite of passage and the glitter hairspray a must-have for tweens – or you’ve browsed its products looking for a gift for a younger relative, it has been a constant on our high streets for decades. Now, Claire’s is the latest high-street brand to close its doors. It has declined from on-trend to outdated – with its once-cool, quirky accessories now looking uninspiring and lacklustre.
But it used to be a very different story for the retailer. Claire’s found success in the 90s by carving out its niche in a crowded industry. Targeting tweens with low prices, it was the place to go to spend your pocket money. And its popularity means there is an entire generation that feels a warm sense of nostalgia whenever they think of Claire’s. But nostalgia only gets a brand so far. They also need a loyal, engaged customer base.
