Accessories and beauty retailer Claire’s has entered administration in the UK and Ireland for the second time in less than a year.
The high street chain for tweens, which has its own-brand beauty line C by Claire’s, was rescued from administration last September by Modella Capital.
At the time, 145 shops closed with the loss of around 1,000 jobs.
Now, the remaining 134 stores and 1,355 staff are at risk after Modella Capital started insolvency proceedings, citing tough trading conditions over Christmas.
The chain has no “realistic possibility of trading profitably again”, said Modella Capital in a statement, adding that it had been left “highly vulnerable” from legacy trading before its ownership.
The investment firm, which also owns UK retailers TGJones (formerly WHSmith) and Hobbycraft and was among a consortium of bidders for the Body Shop, has also started insolvency proceedings for UK discount chain The Original Factory Shop (TOFS).
A Modella Capital spokesperson said: “Very sadly we have had to initiate insolvency proceedings for TOFS and Claire’s Accessories UK & Ireland.
“This has been a very tough decision.
“We have worked intensively in an effort to save both businesses having made last-ditch attempts to rescue them, but neither has a realistic possibility of trading profitably again.
“In these circumstances administration is the only option. In both cases, the legacy effects of trading prior to our ownership [have]s left them highly vulnerable.
“The climate on the high street remains extremely challenging and TOFS and Claire’s are not alone in experiencing difficulties.”
Claire’s declared bankruptcy in August last year in the US, shortly followed by the UK and Ireland.
Ames Watson rescued the US business in September 2025 in a US$140m deal.
The 60-year-old accessories chain previously filed for bankruptcy in the US in 2018.