Iconic Australian retailer Fletcher Jones to close its doors for good
Fletcher Jones announced it would close this month, bringing an end to nearly 100 years of dressing up Aussies just a day after Sass and Bide also closed.
Fletcher Jones has been operating since the 1920s and is renowned for its business and casual clothing for both men and women.
The business went into administration 15 years ago and was forced to close many stores and reduce staff.
Since then, the brand has experienced a slow decline and announced on its website that it will officially close by January 2026.
Fletcher Jones was born in 1924 when founder David Fletcher Jones started selling textiles in Warrnambool, Victoria.
Mr. Jones’s business grew throughout the 1930s and 1940s, particularly in 1941 when he decided to sell only high-quality ready-made trousers.
Fletcher and Jones trousers took off in the 1940s due to the sudden need for military trousers across the country.
Mr Jones bought the infamous Warrnambool factory, which now survives as a vintage marketplace.
From the mid-1950s the business began producing both men’s and women’s clothing and continued to grow long after Mr. Jones’ death in 1977.
Fletcher Jones’ current owner, Matthew Gowty, has said he plans to sell the brand.
The announcement comes just a day after another iconic Australian business, Sass and Bide, closed its doors.
Sass and Bide dominated the fashion industry for nearly 30 years, with products worn by stars such as Beyonce, Rihanna, Madonna and Kate Moss.
The brand is available in Myer stores and plans to take a break and reinvent itself.
The brand said in an online post: “This isn’t goodbye, we’ll see you soon.”
