Eponine London, a label once favoured by Kate Middleton, will close by the end of 2025. The boutique, founded by Jet Shenkman in 2011 in her Kensington basement, announced its Autumn-Winter 2025 collection will be its last. Shenkman described the journey as “wonderful” yet conceded times had changed.
The brand’s surge began in 2016 after Kate Middleton wore its gingham dress—a moment widely credited with raising the label’s international profile. But as the market shifted, the brand faltered. Its closure now joins a pattern of British firms once boosted by royal endorsement but ultimately unable to survive the retail landscape.
A Quiet End for a Celebrated Designer
Jet Shenkman built Eponine London from vintage inspiration, favouring 1950s and 1960s tailoring infused with bold prints. The brand became visible in royal orbit; the Princess wore her designs to major engagements. Yet visibility proved insufficient. Shenkman cited reduced demand for occasion wear, higher production costs, and disrupted supply chains post-pandemic as key factors.
Royal Fashion Endorsements That Failed to Last
Eponine’s closure echoes other brands tied to Kate. Issa London entered administration in 2015, Orla Kiely ceased trading in 2018, L.K. Bennett collapsed in 2019, Jaeger folded in 2020, Ted Baker hit administration in 2024, and in 2025 both Seraphine and Cefinn announced closure or winding down.
Fashion editors once hailed the so-called ‘Kate Effect’: the idea that one outfit could generate consumer demand and save a label. But the legacy brands now show the reality. A single royal appearance may drive short-term buzz, but it does not secure long-term profitability. Many of the designers linked to the Princess’s wardrobe seem to have depended more on the image of endorsement than on repeat sales, new markets, or innovation.
When Prestige Cannot Protect Survival
Royal endorsement retains symbolic appeal, yet companies face modern retail reality. The middle market shrinks while global luxury dominates. Independent labels live or die by loyal buyers, not a media story. Eponine’s story underlines that point: even a spotlight moment cannot undo structural disadvantages.
Here, one must question Kate’s role. By repeatedly selecting small British labels, she projected an image of championing domestic design, but rarely pushed for meaningful commercial partnerships. Visibility mattered more than viability. The pattern suggests that royal patronage may serve symbolism rather than substance. Whatever glamour the wardrobe offered, it did not include accountability or follow-through for the brands.
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Final Thoughts
Eponine London’s closure marks another crack in the illusion that royal fashion influence sustains British design. For years, the press portrayed Kate Middleton as the saviour of homegrown labels, but the evidence now shows otherwise. Yet another of her favourite brands has failed, not for lack of visibility, but for lack of demand.
And to think, Kate once feared Meghan wanted her fashion contacts. For what? A Rolodex of failing labels and out-of-touch stylists? Even her own former aide was caught following Meghan’s fashion circle on Instagram before quietly unfollowing in panic. If imitation is flattery, Kensington Palace has been doing the most. Eponine’s demise is a symbol of a royal brand built on illusion. The spotlight Kate brings may glitter, but everything under it keeps crumbling.
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The same is going to happen if or when she and William takes the throne. At present they’re portraying William as the king and that he’s strong ,he’s the one that has put his foot down and sorted out the debacle with Andrew. The media are too shortsighted to see that they’re the one that are using words to promote him as this strong and take charge person, and Charles is deemed as a weak, ineffectual king .William being king will be the worst thing ever ,because he and the media won’t have anyone else to use as scapegoat for his ineptitude , words won’t matter if they are not followed through with actions. The same with the clothes Kate favours they’re too dated and if she wasn’t tall and skinny would just makes her look like an expensive bad dresser .She dresses too old for her age and those frock coat she favours are really just fit for formal occasions not everyday wear. I hope I will live long enough to see the media finally see what the reality of his reign will be and start begging Harry and Meghan to return.