Despite calling in administrators earlier this month, Oasis and Warehouse will be closing permanently, leading to the loss of over 1800 jobs.
While Hilco, the owner of Homebase, has bought both companies' stock, the sale of Oasis and Warehouse does not include the 92 standalone stores or 400 concessions across shops including Debenhams and House of Fraser.
The news signals yet another blow for our dwindling high street, which has already seen tremendous losses in the last few years, with many high profile brands closing their doors. Now, in the face of coronavirus, the retail industry is preparing for a turbulent few months, during which time many are set to lose their jobs.
Of course, such news is always sad, but these two particular brands embody a lot of nostalgia for many young Brits. A quick Grazia office poll led to many an anecdote about outfits purchased for an historic event, etched onto meaningful memories. 'I always remember saving up for Oasis' glittery jeans and their ‘going out tops,' says Rhiannon Evans, features and special projects director. 'Remember good ‘going out tops’ that you could wear with black trousers? I still lament the loss of places to get a good ‘going out top’.'
From prom dresses to coats we wore every winter for the whole of our adolescence, both Oasis and Warehouse represent the democratisation of fashion on the British high street. At a time when the internet didn't offer the endless options for shopping that it does today, they were more affordable than a lot of shops, yet still felt glamorous and exciting. During its first decade, Warehouse even recruited three of the world's most famous supermodels – Naomi, Yasmin and Christy – to model in its catalogue.
In 2016, Warehouse had something of a fashion makeover, as Alasdhair Willis – now creative director of Hunter and husband to Stella McCartney – was appointed as a brand consultant, leading to a new design direction led by designer Emma Cook. Now, the brand works regularly with high profile influencers to produce 'curated' collections, including Lucy Williams, Camille Charrière and, most recently, Angela Scanlon.
Oasis, meanwhile, opened later – in 1991 – and has recently launched both wedding and curve collections.
In these difficult times, shopping has become something of a moral debate. But we can only hope, for the sake of thousands of jobs if nothing else, that brands manage to find a way to hang on. Otherwise, we may come out of lockdown to find empty, boarded-up high streets, a struggling economy and a whole lot of nostalgia weighing heavily on our hearts.