Fashion brand LK Bennett has gone into administration, putting 500 jobs at risk

Worrying news.

It's bad news for the fashion industry this evening, as LK Bennett has gone into administration. The brand has appointed EY to handle the situation, in the hopes of saving the company. Currently, LK Bennett has almost 500 employees in over 40 stores. A spokesperson for EY said: "Stores in the Republic of Ireland are not included in the administration. They are part of the international operations." "There are two stores included in the administration in Northern Ireland." Dan Hurd, joint administrator, said: "LK Bennett is a strong luxury UK brand, the new season collection was critically acclaimed and recent trading is up, which we hope will be attractive to prospective buyers." Stores will remain open in the meantime, but the company's website has been temporarily suspended. You may be aware of LK Bennett, as one of Kate Middleton's favourite brands to wear. The company is owned by founder Linda Bennett, who stepped back from the brand in 2008, but returned in 2017 as a consultant. We're hoping for the best here.