Hardy Amies, the former official dressmaker to the Queen, has collapsed into administration for the second time in its 73-year history.
The luxury fashion house was bought out of administration in 2008 but its UK business, which includes the store in London’s Savile Row, has been loss making for “some time”.
The administration has no effect on the brand’s operations outside the UK.
Freddy Khalastchi and Jonathan Bass, of accountancy firm Menzies, were appointed administrators and are inviting offers from potential buyers to acquire Hardy Amies’s UK operations and intellectual property rights.
They are also welcoming bids for the company’s fashion archive, which includes personal diaries, photographs and sketches of original designs, which the administrators said could be of interest to fashion museums.
Mr Khalastchi said: “Despite trading at a loss in the UK for some time, the Hardy Amies brand has a unique heritage which is much-revered in the world of haute couture and it very much deserves to live on.
“We are looking forward to talking with potential buyers in the coming days and weeks to find a way to make this happen.”
Sir Hardy Amies founded the fashion house in 1946 in Savile Row, where he found success with his classic tailored clothes for men and women.
Hardy Amies dressed the Queen for almost 40 years and one of its creations was featured in the monarch’s silver jubilee portrait.
Retailers have been battling a number of headwinds, including low consumer confidence, high costs and changing shopping habits with more consumers buying more online.
Retailers such as Toys R Us, Maplin and HMV entered into administration, while others have sought rescue deals and shut stores.
