Samantha Cameron to wind down Cefinn after years of losses

Samantha Cameron’s fashion label Cefinn will be wound down after never turning a profit, the company said, with its two London stores expected to close before spring and 24 employees facing redundancy.

Founded in 2017 as a workwear line marketed as an "urban uniform for busy women," Cefinn produced about 30 collections but continued to report losses. Latest accounts for the year ending in October showed sales fell 5% to £4.2 million while pre-tax losses narrowed slightly from £357,000 to £354,000.

Cefinn’s shops on King’s Road and Elizabeth Street in Belgravia will remain open for now to sell autumn and winter collections but are expected to close before spring, the company said. Staff will receive paid notice and redundancy packages, the statement added.

In a statement reported by the Times, Cameron, 54, said the decision was "not a decision I have taken lightly, especially as we have recently seen strong trading figures." She cited turbulence in the fashion wholesale sector, ongoing cost pressures and international trading restrictions, saying these factors made it difficult to be certain the business could reach a "stable and profitable position."

Cefinn counted high-profile figures among its customers, including the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla, and has been worn by broadcasters and public figures such as Gillian Anderson, Gabby Logan and Holly Willoughby. The brand’s name derives from the initials of Cameron’s four children: Ivan, Elwen, Florence and Nancy.

Cameron, who previously served as creative director at Smythson of Bond Street while her husband was prime minister, expanded Cefinn into more casualwear during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company switched to a direct-to-consumer model in response to disruption in the wholesale market, including the collapse of Matches Fashion in 2024 and continuing difficulties at other luxury e-commerce retailers.

The business had received a £2.5 million investment from donor Lord Brownlow early in its life, but it is understood Cameron was reluctant to seek additional outside capital. Reports said the company was owed more than £100,000 after a wholesale distributor entered administration.

Cameron has previously said that Brexit had made business survival "challenging and difficult." The company said recent trading had shown promise but that wider structural pressures in the fashion and wholesale sectors had constrained growth prospects for a small independent label.

Cefinn’s winding down underscores the pressure on independent fashion brands operating in a changing retail environment, where the failure of major wholesalers and shifts to online channels have reshaped distribution and cashflow. The company said it was "deeply grateful" to its team and customers and thanked staff for their contributions as it implements the planned closure and employee redundancies.