The Thistle Street upmarket fashion store Jane Davidson is to close next month after 53 years in business.
A fixture on Edinburgh’s fashion scene, Jane Davidson is named after its founder (now Jane Hall) and has been run by her daughter, Sarah Murray, since 1997.
Established in 1969 in The Grassmarket, the boutique originally sold only British brands such as Jean Muir, Ozzie Clark, and Jean Varon, and was decorated in the style of a smart French salon. It quickly established a loyal customer base and in 1985 relocated to Thistle Street in the capital’s New Town where it has grown steadily, expanding into all four floors of its Georgian townhouse home over the past decade.
Jane Davidson showcases international fashion brands and has been responsible for introducing many high-profile designer labels to Scotland, including Jimmy Choo and Roland Mouret and, more recently, The Vampire’s Wife, Dries Van Noten and Isabel Marant.
Described by the fashion magazine Vogue as “one of Scotland’s best kept secrets”, Jane Davidson won the prestigious Drapers award for best customer experience this September – achieving a 100% rating from secret shoppers in the process – and was also crowned independent retailer of the year at the Scotland Re:Design fashion awards a fortnight ago. The underwear parties for men to buy their signifiant others a Christmas present or two were the talk of the town at one time.
In a message to customers today, owner and buyer Sarah Murray described as “bittersweet” her decision to close what has become an Edinburgh institution.
Murray said: “This boutique has been a constant presence in my life and I have absolutely loved my time running the business. Our customers have been incredibly loyal and many of them have become dear friends to both me and my mum. That sense of community is the most enjoyable part of what we do and it is the thing I will miss the most when we close our doors for the final time on 14 December.
“As difficult as this decision has been, I am looking forward to spending much more time with friends and family, especially my two daughters. I was always determined that if I did close the shop we would go out on a high and having been recognised for exceptional customer service by Drapers recently, that is unquestionably the case.
“I’m sure it will be an emotional few weeks for the whole team here, but we are looking forward to seeing as many of our customers as possible over the course of the next fortnight.”
The store’s remaining stock will be sold off from 1-14 December with price reductions offered across all ranges.
This is the second established fashion boutique to close this year – Troon on York Place closed recently (although there is a branch in Cambridge for those who need to know).
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