‘Crushing the dream’: Aussie founder’s heartbreak as David Jones collapses weeks after major launch

Exclusive: Chloe Barry-Hang and her family gave up countless weekends packing thousands of robes ahead of the biggest launch in the brand’s history.

Her label, K Juliet, hit the racks in David Jones just weeks ago, with the 31-year-old Sydney founder describing the commercial deal as one of her proudest milestones.

“It felt like a really big breakthrough moment for us and something that felt like we have been working hard towards,” Barry-Hang told nine.com.au.

Yet, her dream retail debut unravelled on Thursday morning when she learned the 188-year-old Australian department store chain had collapsed into voluntary administration.

The future of her partnership with David Jones is now in limbo.

“It’s been a lot of heartbreak. I think the hardest part that I’ve struggled with is the crushing of the dream,” she confessed.

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While David Jones continues to trade in-store and online for now, widespread uncertainty surrounds suppliers, with many scrambling to recover their stock from shop floors.

The future of gift cards and customer loyalty points is also clouded.

In the hours following the confronting news, Barry-Hang spoke with a David Jones representative who told her the situation was entirely in the hands of administrator McGrathNicol.

Now, thousands of K Juliet robes meant for the stores sit in a warehouse, leaving Barry-Hang terrified that her partnership intended to transform her business is now at risk of burying it.

She said the brand is still waiting on payment for three-quarters of its first purchase order, with little prospect of seeing the rest. Their robes retail for $140.

K Juliet is now one in a long list of companies left in the lurch in the wake of the retailer’s collapse.

Barry-Hang’s fashion company began after her roommate woke her up one morning suggesting they start a business together.

“I was like, that sounds great. Why don’t we do robes?,” Barry-Hang recalled.

The pair poured their life savings into what would become K Juliet, designing towel robes from their apartment until boxes were stacked to the ceiling.

Friends and family took time off work to help pack orders. Barry-Hang’s grandparents became involved, spending hours waiting for Australia Post collections while she worked her day job.

Given the family effort behind the brand, landing on the shelves of an Australian institution made the milestone feel more significant.

The founders had been working on the roll-out since May.

“To even be acknowledged as a brand to be stocked with them was such a big achievement in itself,” Barry-Hang said.

“It felt like a major retailer had faith in us and they saw our vision.”

Months of paperwork, planning and preparations followed, with every robe barcoded, packed and processed in line with David Jones’ strict standards.

“I obviously got my family to give up so many of their weekends to help pack everything and now it’s kind of just blown up,” Barry-Hang said.

K Juliet had prepared to supply 18 David Jones locations, committing to volumes far beyond what the brand normally sells through its online shop and pop-up stalls.

The small business had already paid manufactures, freight forwards and customs duties out of pocket to meet the retailers’ delivery schedule.

“We wanted to make sure we met their delivery timeline,” she said.

While the initial batch landed in stores, the company remains unpaid for the bulk of that shipment, with subsequent scheduled purchase orders through to March next year.

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Without the department store’s national footprint, Barry-Hang is deeply concerned about shifting the excess stock.

“We really were super transparent with David Jones and basically said if you guys have any concerns like blink twice essentially, because we will not survive [if this falls apart],” she said.

There were no warning signs the retail giant was on the brink.

“I understand that the team that we’ve been dealing with at David Jones is also going through a lot,” Barry-Hang said.

“I think everyone’s trying to navigate it as best as they can.”

Despite the blow, she is determined to keep the label afloat.

“We’ll make it work,” she said.

“I think all business owners feel the same, that you’ll do whatever you can for your business. It’s your baby and we will just always try and get creative and pivot.”

Backing that resolve is a loyal following of roughly 350,000 followers across social media.

Barry-Hang is now urging shoppers who want to support the label to order directly through K Juliet’s website rather than through David Jones while it remains in administration.

“Who knows if someone buys from us in David Jones where that money is going,” she said.

With reports emerging of suppliers attempting to pull their own merchandise off department store shelves, Barry-Hang said she is prepared to take drastic measures if needed.

“If I have to steal that stock with my bare hands and a wheelbarrow, I will,” she added.