Australian fashion shoppers are mourning the end of Colette by Colette Hayman after the accessories brand—once a staple in shopping centres nationwide—confirmed in May 2025 that all remaining stores are shutting their doors for good. The collapse marks the second time in five years the brand has entered administration, following a temporary rescue in 2024 that saved over 400 jobs.

4 related posts

Administrations: 2020 and 2024 ·
Final Shutdown Announced: May 2025 ·
Trading Name: CBCH Australia Pty Ltd ·
Status: Closing down for good ·
Key Partner Closure: The Daily Edited

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Potential asset buyers
  • Reopening under new ownership
  • Exact store closure dates
3Timeline signal
  • 2020 first administration → 2024 rescue → 2025 final collapse (Ragtrader)
  • Group48 acquired assets for potential revival per Ragtrader
4What’s next
  • Clearance sales ongoing (60–80% off) (Ragtrader)
  • Group48 revival plans unconfirmed (Ragtrader)
  • Up to 400 jobs impacted per Ragtrader

The table below summarises key facts about the Colette by Colette Hayman collapse.

Label Value
Brand Name Colette by Colette Hayman
Legal Entity CBCH Australia Pty Ltd
Admin Years 2020, 2024
Shutdown Date Announced May 2025
Status Permanent closure

Is Colette Hayman closing down?

Yes. CBCH Australia Pty Ltd, the company behind Colette by Colette Hayman, announced in May 2025 that all remaining stores are shutting down for good. The announcement came after Marquee Retail Group, which owned the brand, entered voluntary administration and collapsed for the second time in five years per Ragtrader. Stores across Australia—including locations in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ACT, South Australia, and Western Australia—were informed of the closure, with staff told on a Thursday before final clearance sales began per 7NEWS. The clearance sales featured discounts of 60–80%, with signs reading “Final day of trade. Everything must go!”

Announcement details

The final shutdown announcement marked the end of a tumultuous chapter for what was once one of Australia’s most recognisable fashion accessories brands. Group48, a 77-year-old distributor, acquired key assets of Colette including websites and some stock for potential revival per Ragtrader. However, no new stores have opened as of this reporting, and the revival remains speculative.

Store closure timeline

The closure followed a familiar pattern: after Marquee Retail Group entered voluntary administration in June 2024, 40 Colette stores were salvaged in June 2024, saving over 400 jobs per 7NEWS. The company then collapsed again in 2025, leading to complete shutdown. Stores and online channels slashed prices up to 80% as Marquee prepared its exit per Power Retail.

The implication: even a successful rescue in 2024 proved insufficient to stabilise a business already burdened by legacy debt and macroeconomic headwinds.

What happened to Colette Hayman?

Colette by Colette Hayman entered voluntary administration for the first time in 2020, leading to the closure of over 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand per 7NEWS. At its peak, the brand operated 180 stores across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. After the 2020 administration, stores dropped from 138 to just 35 per Karmactive. Former Myer CEO Bernie Brookes acquired the business through Marquee Retail Group in September 2020 per Inside Retail, serving as chairman of the group.

2020 administration

The Sydney-based brand, founded around 2010 or 2012 by businesswoman Colette Hayman, specialised in affordable bags and jewellery targeting young women. The 2020 administration dramatically reduced its footprint, with stores closing at an accelerated rate as the parent company struggled to manage debt and renegotiate lease terms.

2024 rescue and repeat collapse

Marquee Retail Group, which had also acquired The Daily Edited in December 2022, entered voluntary administration in April 2024. Administrators Domenic Calabretta, Mitchell Ball, and Richard Lawrence of Mackay Goodwin were appointed per Inside Retail. Sales had declined sharply from October 2023 to March 2024 due to inflation, rising interest rates, and COVID-era ATO debt per Inside Retail. In June 2024, 40 stores were salvaged through a rescue deal that saw priority creditors paid in full, suppliers receive 20 cents per dollar owed, landlords 10 cents per dollar, and others 5 cents per dollar per Karmactive. The company paid approximately $35,000 monthly over four years as part of the arrangement.

The catch

The June 2024 rescue worked for Colette temporarily, but Marquee’s underlying financial structure—including its acquisition of The Daily Edited in 2022—proved too fragile to withstand continued macroeconomic pressure. A third bankruptcy arrived within a year.

Why did the Colette store close?

The closures resulted from repeated financial administrations driven by unsustainable debt, challenging retail conditions, and the broader collapse of Australian mall foot traffic. Colette Hayman targeted an accessory market that has become increasingly competitive, with fast-fashion rivals and online-only brands capturing younger demographics with lower price points and wider reach.

Financial reasons

Bernie Brookes, chairman of Marquee Retail Group, cited specific pressures: “Sales dropped sharply from April 2024 to April 2024. We faced higher inflation, rising interest rates, and old COVID-era tax office debt” per Karmactive. Marquee aimed for a Deed of Company Arrangement and potential sale during the 2024 administration, but the structural damage was already done per Inside Retail.

Retail industry challenges

The collapse fits a broader pattern documented by Power Retail: mid-sized Australian accessories brands face acute pressure from changing consumer behaviour, rising commercial rents, and the accumulated debt burden from COVID-era obligations. Colette’s third bankruptcy after 15 years of operation illustrates how even brands with strong brand recognition can fail when structural weaknesses compound per Karmactive.

The pattern: accessory brands that cannot rapidly scale e-commerce or diversify beyond shopping-centre lease commitments face existential risk when macroeconomic conditions shift.

Is Colette Hayman coming back?

Potentially, but nothing is confirmed. Group48, a 77-year-old distributor, acquired key assets of Colette including websites and some stock after the May 2025 collapse per Ragtrader. The company plans to re-scale Colette with new stock of core and best-selling items, aiming to double business scale within five years per Ragtrader.

Revival rumours

Ragtrader reported in May 2025 that Group48 was in revival talks with The Daily Edited included in broader discussions about the Colette and TDE brands. However, the overall shutdown of physical stores suggests the revival, if it proceeds, will likely focus on online channels or a significantly reduced brick-and-mortar footprint.

Current status

As of this reporting, no new Colette stores have opened. Group48’s acquisition of assets does not guarantee a return to trading. Reddit discussions reflect community sentiment that the closure appears permanent, with many users sharing personal impact stories of losing access to their favourite affordable accessory destination per Ragtrader.

Why this matters

Australian shoppers who built brand loyalty over 15 years now face an uncertain future. If Group48’s revival succeeds, it will likely target a leaner operation—potentially online-first with selective pop-ups—rather than the mall-dominant presence Colette once maintained.

Who owns Colette Hayman?

The trading entity CBCH Australia Pty Ltd was owned by Marquee Retail Group, which acquired Colette in September 2020 after the first administration per Inside Retail. Marquee also acquired The Daily Edited in December 2022, creating a consolidated accessories and leather goods portfolio that ultimately proved too leveraged to sustain per Inside Retail. Bernie Brookes, former CEO of Myer and chairman of Marquee Retail Group, was the key figure behind the group’s formation and acquisition strategy.

Ownership history

The brand was founded by Sydney businesswoman Colette Hayman around 2010 or 2012. She built the company into a mall staple before the 2020 administration forced a sale. Brookes acquired the business through Marquee, restructured operations, and then expanded the portfolio with TDE—all of which collapsed by May 2025.

Key figures

Bernie Brookes, chairman of Marquee Retail Group, stated during the 2024 administration: “Our decision today is about securing the future of the Marquee Retail Group and its employees, while emerging on the other side of Voluntary Administration” per Inside Retail. The administrators appointed in April 2024 were Domenic Calabretta, Mitchell Ball, and Richard Lawrence of Mackay Goodwin.

Timeline


Colette founded by Colette Hayman in Sydney

First administration; stores drop from 138 to 35; acquired by Bernie Brookes

Marquee acquires The Daily Edited per Inside Retail

Marquee enters voluntary administration; sales decline Oct 2023 – Mar 2024 per Inside Retail

40 stores salvaged, 400+ jobs saved per 7NEWS

Final shutdown announced; all Colette stores close; clearance sales begin

Group48 acquires assets for potential revival per Ragtrader

Confirmed

  • Shutdown announced May 2025 per 7NEWS and Ragtrader
  • Administrations in 2020 and 2024
  • 40 stores salvaged in June 2024, saving over 400 jobs
  • Clearance sales with 60–80% discounts
  • Group48 acquired websites and stock for revival
  • Up to 400 jobs impacted across Colette and TDE

Unclear

  • Exact date of 2025 final closure
  • Precise founding year (2010 vs 2012)
  • Current Group48 revival status
  • Whether new stores will open
  • Total debt or sale values
  • Impact on New Zealand stores post-2020

Expert perspectives

“Our decision today is about securing the future of the Marquee Retail Group and its employees, while emerging on the other side of Voluntary Administration.”

— Bernie Brookes, Chairman, Marquee Retail Group per Inside Retail

“Sales dropped sharply from April 2024 to April 2024. We faced higher inflation, rising interest rates, and old COVID-era tax office debt.”

— Bernie Brookes, Former Myer CEO, Marquee Retail Group leader per Karmactive

“Stores and online slashed prices up to 80% as Marquee prepares exit.”

— Power Retail analysis per Power Retail

The pattern emerging across industry commentary is consistent: Australian accessory brands that expanded aggressively in shopping centres during the 2010s now face a reckoning as consumer behaviour shifts and legacy lease commitments compound. For Colette, the combination of COVID debt, interest rate pressure, and a failed diversification strategy through Marquee’s TDE acquisition proved fatal.

For Australian shoppers, the choice is stark: take advantage of clearance sales now and accept that the Colette experience they knew is effectively gone, or wait and see whether Group48’s revival produces a leaner, potentially online-only version of the brand.

Related reading: Global Shop Direct status · Temple & Webster store locations

Colette by Colette Hayman’s permanent shutdown mirrors broader retail struggles in Australia, including the Glue Stores closures affecting all remaining outlets by 2026.

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Frequently asked questions

When was Colette by Colette Hayman shutdown announced?

The final shutdown was announced in May 2025 by CBCH Australia Pty Ltd, the legal entity behind Colette by Colette Hayman. All remaining stores were told to close, with final clearance sales beginning immediately at discounts of 60–80%.

How many times did Colette Hayman enter administration?

Twice. The first administration occurred in 2020, when stores dropped from 138 to 35. The second occurred in April 2024, when Marquee Retail Group (the parent company) entered voluntary administration. The company was temporarily rescued in June 2024 before collapsing again in 2025.

Are there any Colette Hayman closing sales?

Yes. Clearance sales of 60–80% were active as stores wound down in May 2025. Signs reading “Final day of trade. Everything must go!” appeared at locations including Westfield Tea Tree Plaza in South Australia. Some stores remained open until stock was cleared.

What is the connection between Colette Hayman and The Daily Edited?

Both brands were owned by Marquee Retail Group. Marquee acquired Colette in September 2020 and The Daily Edited in December 2022. Both brands collapsed following Marquee’s 2024–2025 administration, with up to 400 jobs impacted across both companies.

Can I still shop at Colette by Colette Hayman?

Physical stores have closed. However, Group48 acquired websites and stock for potential revival. The status of online trading remains unclear, and no new stores have opened as of this reporting.

What lessons can retailers learn from Colette Hayman?

The collapse demonstrates the danger of over-leveraging after acquisition. Marquee Retail Group expanded rapidly by acquiring Colette and TDE, but the combined debt burden—exacerbated by COVID-era tax obligations and rising interest rates—became unsustainable when sales declined. Retailers should monitor legacy lease commitments and diversify revenue streams beyond shopping-centre foot traffic.