For decades, one fashion accessory was more synonymous with Britain’s most famous music festival, Glastonbury, than any other: Hunter Wellington boots.
To many, Hunter — which held a royal warrant, and was established in Edinburgh as the North British Rubber Company in 1856 — became a brand as quintessentially British as afternoon tea, queuing and talking about the weather.
But this week, days before this year’s (uncharacteristically sun-soaked) Glastonbury got underway, Hunter was forced to file for administration, the British equivalent of bankruptcy, owing creditors about $146 million.
However the company largely blamed the dry-up in demand to unseasonably warm weather in its largest market: the United States.
Namely, that Hunter’s offshoring of production to China had led to stumbles in quality control, resulting in split rubber and sodden toes.
Persons:
Hunter Wellington, Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne, Alexa Chung, Hunter —, —, Hunter
Organizations:
North British Rubber Company, United States .
Locations:
Glastonbury, Edinburgh, United States, China