Topshop, Topman the latest in retail clothing struggles

Topshop and Topman join a long list of clothing retailers to hit troubled times in New Zealand in the last couple of years.

This May shoe retailer Banks Group, which runs 14 stores across the country under the brands Shoe Connection and Banks Shoes, was tipped into receivership. High-end clothing retailer David Lawrence, which also owns Marcs, was placed into voluntary administration in February and all New Zealand stores shut down. The Australian arm of the business continues to operate.

Shirt and suit tailor Nicholas Jermyn was placed into liquidation in September last year and the business wound down. Valley Girl was also placed into liquidation last year, with the company now insolvent.

Queues lined Auckland's Queen St for the opening of fashion retail store Topshop in 2015. Photo / Jason Oxenham

One of the biggest names in New Zealand retail, Pumpkin Patch, was liquidated in March with all stores closed and hundreds of jobs lost. The company was purchased by an Australian buyer and is relaunching as an online retailer.

Pumpkin Patch in Victoria Ave, Whanganui. Photo / File

Receivers took control of women's retailer Shanton last year, and the company shut the doors on all shops in January and is currently insolvent.

The Federation clothing brand was brought back from the brink last year when the owner sold her house to wrangle control back from liquidators.

Jean Jones was put into liquidation in August 2015 and later wrapped up owing roughly $1.8 million. The chain had previously been purchased out of receivership.

The Identity women's clothing chain was put into receivership in July 2015, but sold to a purchaser later that year. The business continues to operate.

The same receivers were appointed to shoe retailer Wild Pair in 2015. The company is currently insolvent.

JK Kids owner and managing director announced in November 2013 that the chain was closing down, blaming intense online competition for the company's demise.

Online retail tends to cop the blame for many of these retail failures and closures which have left hundreds of staff out of pocket.

However, First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said they themselves are to blame.

Valley Girl on Queen Street in Auckland. Photo / File

"There's two things going on," he told Newstalk ZB's Mike Hosking show in March, "one is the impending headwinds that we're seeing with retail. There's certainly a lot of big retailers making some pretty cathartic decision, some big moves with the likes of Amazon heading our way."

"But we've also got some specific issues with these troubled retailers: undifferentiated offers, not understanding their markets anymore, no digital visibility or performance," he said.