My thoughts following Claire’s Accessories going into administration
Today’s news about Claire’s Accessories going into administration made me stop and think. Not just about Claire’s as a brand, but about what this moment says about the wider reality of running a high street business today, particularly in jewellery.
While Claire’s wasn’t part of my own teenage years, it has become a familiar fixture of the modern high street over the past few decades, especially for tweens, teens and families. For many, it represents those early, accessible moments of self-expression through jewellery and accessories. Seeing a business with that level of visibility and reach struggle is sobering, and as someone running a physical jewellery space, it feels uncomfortably close to home.
At FORGE, we are navigating many of the same pressures that have been widely reported in relation to Claire’s. Rising business rates, increases in the minimum wage and employer National Insurance, ongoing volatility in energy prices, and significant increases in material and supplier costs all feed directly into the day-to-day challenge of keeping the doors open. Add to that rising insurance premiums, compliance and waste-management costs, rent pressures, and the reality of reduced and less predictable high street footfall, and the picture becomes increasingly complex.
These challenges are not unique to any one business or sector, they are the conditions many of us are now working within. I don’t say this to complain, but to be honest about the environment in which high street businesses are trying to survive and adapt.
What I do find myself questioning, though, is whether this is only an economic story.
I can’t help but wonder whether Claire’s was also caught in a shift in consumer mindset. Are tweens and their parents still interested in throw-away accessories in the same way? Or are we seeing a growing appreciation even among younger audiences, for value, longevity and meaning?
From my own experience at FORGE, I’m seeing more people wanting to understand where jewellery comes from, who made it, and why it matters. There is increasing interest in handmade pieces, UK-based makers, and the skills behind the objects themselves. Jewellery is often being approached less as a trend-led purchase and more as something emotional, something to keep, to gift, or to mark a moment.
Im not saying there isn’t a place for accessible, affordable jewellery, but I do think expectations are shifting. Sustainability, conscious buying and craftsmanship are no longer fringe considerations; they are becoming part of everyday conversations around value.
For me, the bigger question is not whether the high street is failing, but whether it is being given the space, economically and culturally to evolve. A high street built purely around volume and speed feels increasingly out of step with how many people want to buy today. One that supports skills, creativity and genuine connection feels far more resilient.
FORGE exists because I believe physical spaces still matter, spaces where people can engage with jewellery beyond a transaction, meet the makers, learn about the craft, and feel part of something real. It’s not the easiest way to run a business, and it comes with its own challenges, but moments like this reinforce why relevance, purpose and adaptability are essential.
Claire’s administration is undeniably sad. But for me, it’s also a prompt to reflect on what we value, how we buy, and what kind of high street we want to carry forward.
Amanda Mansell, Director
