Iconic Australian retailer Fletcher Jones to close its doors for good

Fletcher Jones has announced it will close this month, ending nearly 100 years of dressing Australians just one day after Sass and Bide also shut down.

Fletcher Jones is famous for its business and casual wear clothing for both men and women, operating since the 1920s.

The business went into administration 15 years ago, and was forced to close a number of stores and cut down on staff.

Since then, the brand has experienced a slow decline and announced on its website the official closure by January 2026.

Fletcher Jones was born in 1924, when founder David Fletcher Jones began selling textiles in Warrnambool, Victoria.

Mr Jones’ business grew throughout the 1930s and 1940s, particularly in 1941 when he decided he would only sell high-quality ready-made trousers.

Boosted by a sudden, nationwide need for army pants in the 1940s, Fletcher and Jones trousers took off.

Mr Jones then created a factory that became an iconic Warrnambool landmark and still stands today – now as vintage market place.

From the mid 1950s, the business began making both mens and women's clothings and continued to grow long after Mr Jones died in 1977.

Fletcher Jones’ current owner, Matthew Gowty has said he plans to sell the brand.

The announcement came just one day after another iconic Australian business shut its doors – Sass and Bide.

Sass and Bide dominated the fashion industry for nearly 30 years, with items worn by A-listers including Beyonce, Rihanna, Madonna and Kate Moss.

The brand featured in Myer stores and plans to take some time off and reinvent.

In an online post, the brand declared: “It’s not goodbye, it’s see you soon.”