UK-based fashion chain Jaeger is in trouble. Founded in 1884, Jaeger has counted actresses, royalty and Arctic explorers among its fans. However, its now faced with intense competition on high street and a dipping sales graph. It has struggled to keep up with rivals such as Burberry and fast fashion chains including Zara and H&M.
Jaeger's problems are partly because it has struggled for years to truly understand its core clientele. The firm also relied too heavily on special offers. Discounts account for over three quarters of Jaeger’s sales. Constant stream of sales and offers discouraged shoppers from paying the full price and lessened their trust in the quality of the Jaeger product.
Last year Jaeger’s annual sales fell four per cent. Jaeger started by selling woolen long johns and its clothes were worn by the explorer Ernest Shackleton on an Antarctic expedition.
In the 1950s and 1960s its celebrity fans included the actress Marilyn Monroe and the model Twiggy, before more recently being worn by the Duchess of Cambridge. Jaeger has 46 stores, 63 concessions, a head office in London and a logistics centre in King's Lynn.
The situation is such that most of Jaeger’s stores are moving towards closure, although the brand is likely to survive as part of the EWM stable, which includes Jane Norman, Peacocks and Austin Reed.
