Iconic Australian retailer Witchery has come under fire on social media after a highly-anticipated rebrand fell short in the eyes of its customers.
Titled ‘Bold Awakening’, the new collection was teased on the brand’s social media as “a fresh design direction and the next chapter of Witchery.” But when it finally landed online, some customers were less than impressed that the range would only be available to shop in sizes 4 – 18, removing size 20 from Witchery’s offering.
![Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (1) Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (1)](https://i0.wp.com/www.elle.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/witchery-rebrand-576x1024.jpg)
“The plummet is real,” wrote plus-size influencer Riley Hemson on the brand’s Instagram, while another follower chimed in, “So you’ve ditched the size 20? it’s not a bold awakening if you cannot do the bare minimum for size inclusivity.”
Body acceptance advocate April Hélène-Horton expressed her disbelief at the reduced size range over on her Instagram page ‘The Bodzilla’, with a reel that quickly garnered over 800 comments.
Witchery swiftly responded to sizing backlash by updating the original Instagram post, disclaiming that the new designs were actually sized more generously than previous styles.
“We’ve done a lot of work to improve our sizes and fits, ensuring they are more true to size and consistent across our collections. From size 10 and up, our sizing has become more generous, so if you were a size 20 with Witchery before, we welcome you to try an 18 instead,” the updated caption read. Comments on the post have also since been disabled, and all previous comments hidden.
But not everyone was content with this response. One commenter wrote back, “So disappointing to see this from you guys. To go from wish-listing your items last week as a size 20-22 girl who this brand was my go to for workwear, to being [gaslit] into “just trying the 18!” is super discouraging… I would love to see this properly addressed.”
Similarly, shoppers were quick to notice that, online, the new collection was initially only worn by slender, younger models — especially when compared with previous marketing campaigns by Witchery. But one day after the launch, the brand shared further images of a plus-sized model in several of the new designs.
![Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (2) Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (2)](https://i0.wp.com/www.elle.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/witchery-rebrand-1-576x1024.jpg)
“While your new range is not for me, she’s gorgeous and it’s good to see you are actively listening to the feedback,” an Instagram user wrote in response to the new photos.
Other loyal Witchery customers say they felt excluded by the new designs, which seem to target a younger demographic. Key items on the grid included trend-focused silhouettes like cropped tops, mini bubble hems and low-slung trouser shapes.
Since its inception in the 1970s, the brand has been loved for its elevated, modern styles, particularly by working women. But with ‘Bold Awakening,’ this seems to have shifted.
“This [so-called] new collection of crop tops, mini dresses and balloon skirts won’t cater for fuller figures nor the previous age demographic. To say you have disappointed all of your up-to-now loyal customer base is an understatement. Bring back what the brand has been respected for and show loyalty to those who made Witchery what it has been till now,” one Instagram user wrote.
Beyond inclusivity, not everyone is a fan of the designs themselves, with some saying they fall short of the “bold awakening” they were expecting.
“It’s really reminding me of Viktoria and Woods… It’s nothing new, it’s nothing fresh,” Stellie said on TikTok.
Nikki Holloway shared similar thoughts on the app, telling her followers, “I honestly was really underwhelmed with the actual clothes. They’re great basics but they’re boring. It just doesn’t really feel like anything stands out.”
If we can put the sizing diversity issue aside for a moment, perhaps becoming more ‘boring’ is part of Witchery’s grand plan? According to the brand’s new Head of Design, Kirby Hanrahan, “Everything has been designed to mix and match together to make a capsule wardrobe.”
“We’ve designed ready-to-wear and weekend wear for a curated wardrobe that’s on-trend and effortless. Our collections mix directional pieces with beautiful basics, enhanced by fashion-forward details and accessories,” a statement by Kirby on the Witchery Instagram page read.
![Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (3) Everything To Know About Witchery’s Headline-Making Rebrand | ELLE (3)](https://i0.wp.com/www.elle.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/07/witchery-rebrand-2-576x1024.jpg)
The shift towards the capsule wardrobe aesthetic has been steadily taking over the Australian chain store collections. In 2020, Gold Coast-born label Dissh underwent an enormous rebrand, pivoting their offering away from bright, statement pieces and towards understated wardrobe basics – bringing with it huge success. According to Vogue Business, in the 2023 financial year, they profited $62 million and, the following year, were predicted to hit $98 million, suggesting basic fashion is big business.
Recently, activewear label PE Nation embarked on a similar journey. The brand used this year’s Australian Fashion Week as their big reveal to the industry; trading its distinctive graphic aesthetic for a more pared-back, tonal style. Scan the racks of many mid-tier fashion retailers – Seed, Country Road, Assembly Label – and you’ll see less patterns and sequins and more versatile separates and classic shapes than ever before. Which could simply be the result of smart merchandising in an economic downturn, as customers now need more reasons to justify their purchases.
Witchery clearly looks to be following a similarly low-risk route with their new pared-back aesthetic. But will they win back loyal customers who want more diversity in clothes on offer, but also – and perhaps more importantly – in the types of bodies that are promoted when wearing them? We’ll have to wait to find out.
Kirsty ThatcherWriter
Kirsty is a digital writer at ELLE and Marie Claire. Having completed a Bachelor of Arts at The University of Melbourne (English Literature/Sociology), Kirsty set her sights on a career in the Australian media industry. After relocating to Sydney, she spent time working in print at JONES Magazine, before turning her focus to the digital landscape.When she’s not dissecting the latest fashion and culture trends, you can usually find her ticking off restaurants on her ever-growing bucket list, or on the hunt for Sydney's best beach.
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