A long-established lingerie business has collapsed into administration after more than a century in operation.
Gossard Limited appointed administrators on May 14, 2026, and has officially ceased trading.
Founded in 1901, the company introduced the Wonderbra to the UK in the 1960s and became synonymous with innovative lingerie throughout the decades.
The Wonderbra gained iconic status in the 1990s, but Gossard was equally known for its wider range of underwear and bralettes, which built the brand’s reputation for style and comfort.
A spokesman for the company said: “Please be advised that Gossard Limited has officially ceased trading and entered liquidation effective May 14, 2026.
What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?
“The appointment relates solely to the UK entity trading as Gossard.
“Gossard’s European operations and affiliated entities outside the UK continue to operate as normal and are not subject to these liquidation proceedings.
“We would like to thank our customers, partners, and employees for their support over the years.”
Insolvency professionals Andrew J Cordon and James O Everist of CFS Restructuring LLP have been appointed as administrators.
Documents filed at Companies House reveal the company owed significant sums to suppliers and HMRC at the time of its collapse.
The brand’s European divisions remain unaffected and are continuing to trade.
High street fashion chain enters liquidation with ‘closing down’ sales
A fashion chain has gone into liquidation with signs appearing in shop windows announcing everything must go.
Leading Labels, which stocked brands including Calvin Klein and Ben Sherman, is expected to close all 15 of its remaining stores following the appointment of a liquidator.
Jeremy Bleazard of XL Business Solutions Limited was named as liquidator on May 26, with an official notice published on June 1 in The Gazette.
Stores have displayed closing down sale notices for several weeks, including at the Ipswich branch in April.
The company’s website is now offline, calls to its customer service line go unanswered, and emails bounce back.
A notice posted at the Bolton store in April read: “This store is closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Sorry for any inconvenience.”
A spokesperson for The Market Place, where the Bolton shop was based, said there had been “there’s been some internal difficulties with them”.
The official notice in The Gazette stated: “Notice is hereby given that the following resolutions were passed on May 26, 2026, as a special resolution and an ordinary resolution respectively.
“That the Company be wound up voluntarily and that Jeremy Bleazard of XL Business Solutions Limited be appointed as Liquidator for the purposes of such voluntary winding up.”
Leading Labels positioned itself as one of the UK’s largest multi-brand retailers.
The company had overdue accounts listed on Companies House, which now confirms that it is in liquidation.
The closure of Leading Labels comes less than two weeks after reports that another fashion retailer, Quiz, would shut all of its 37 remaining UK stores.
