By Sarah Dale
7 October 2025
All dress samples and industry standard sewing machines, fabrics and haberdashery to be sold.
After 24 “incredible” years, Kate Fearnley has made the heartbreaking decision to close the doors on her business.
The strain of trying to keep the business afloat in the current economic climate has been taking its toll on the award-winning fashion designer’s health and finances and this month, she realised she had no other choice but to shut down the business.
“This brand has been my absolute world since my early twenties – my career, my passion, my identity and apart from my wonderful son Bob, is my greatest achievement,” says Kate, who lives in Stokesley with her 10-year-old son.
“What started as a girl with a passion and a dream grew into something far bigger than I could ever have imagined.
“The truth is though, the world has changed, and small independent businesses like mine face challenges that weren’t there so much a few years ago. The digital pace has sped up dramatically, mass-produced brands dominate online, and algorithms decide who gets seen. Keeping up requires huge investment and resources, and for a small creative business like mine, it’s just not sustainable anymore.
“The reality is that this business has consumed my world and as a business owner, you can never truly switch off. While that feels worth it when things are going well, when it becomes nothing but stress and financial anxiety, the toll is immense.
“After a few weeks of utter heartbreak at the thought, I’m now at peace with the reality of the situation.”
She had completed her first bridal collection and was due to attend Bridal Fashion Week to showcase it when lockdown was announced in 2020 and the event was cancelled. That thinking time led to a pivot where Kate decided to be bolder with her designs and “more me” and she redid every design and dress. It was launched in 2022 and was her “best year ever” as a designer.
“The Awaken collection felt like my time as a designer,” explains Kate.
“The bridal industry reacted really well to the Awaken collection, which remains the collection I am proudest of. I had worked so hard for over 20 years and this felt like it was my time. Lockdown had given me real focus and it had paid off. I had less stress and I could just do what I love best – design.”
However, although the bridal collections had initially flourished and been stocked across the UK, promwear was a big part of Kate’s business model, and the pandemic had severe repercussions on people’s buying habits – she went from selling 162 prom dresses in one season to 13 last year.
“Running a business is tough,” says an emotional Kate.
“Anyone who knows me will know I have fought this to the detriment of my health. I have ploughed everything into it. It has just got slower and slower, to the point where I had to face the reality that it was time to close.”
No-one could ever claim Kate hasn’t put her all into establishing and sustaining her iconic brand, which has been worn by her loyal client base including celebrities dressed by the independent designer on the red carpet, from Michelle Keegan to Girls Aloud.
She followed in the footsteps of her dad and grandad before her who established their own popular Fearnley brands on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough – her dad with Alan Fearnley Records which he ran for 43 years and her grandad Bernard with his photography business. In 2005, Alan sold the premises to Kate and she opened her own Kate Fearnley boutique on the same site, where she remained until 2021 when she decided to move the business in a new direction into bridalwear, sold the shop and moved to Stokesley.
Every iconic look has been created locally, whether from her Middlesbrough boutique or her Stokesley studio, and her bridalwear has been stocked in bridal boutiques across the UK.
“Looking back, what an amazing journey it has been,” says Kate, 49.
“Winning many awards including the NATIONAL WINNER Wedding Industry Award for Best Wedding Designer not once but twice, the Cosmopolitan Entrepreneur Fashion Designer Award (which even took me to 10 Downing Street), seeing my designs sold in over 80 independent boutiques across the UK and Ireland – including Selfridges and ASOS – dressing celebrities on the red carpet, countless front covers and features in national magazines, and most importantly, watching my gowns bring joy to so many people – those are some of the many moments I will treasure forever.
“But the heart of it all has always been my clients. Designing gowns for brides on the most important day of their lives, creating prom dresses that made young women feel confident and beautiful, helping people feel amazing in something we had created, that’s been our mission. To every bride who trusted me, every boutique who believed in me, and everyone who wore one of my designs: thank you. You’ve given my work meaning and I can’t thank you enough for all the special connections I’ve made with you all over the years.
“I also cannot say this enough – none of this would have been possible without my incredible staff, past and present, and the invaluable support network around me over the years. All the boutiques who believed in the brand and stocked my collections, your loyalty and support made this business what it is, and I am forever grateful. And of course, my friends and family – you’ve been my absolute rock. You’ve stood by me through so many highs and, more importantly, through so many lows, and every big and small challenge along the way.”
Over the next few weeks, Kate and her colleague, Lucy Tyndall, will be completing all existing orders before they close.
“Lucy’s support and talent right until the very end is testament to what a wonderful, loyal and amazing friend and colleague she has been,” adds Kate.
“Quite simply, I couldn’t have done this without her. She deserves all the future success that I am sure she will have.
“We will be fulfilling all our current client orders including my last bespoke bride who was an original prom girl, which makes it extra special for both of us.”
Although it is too early to say what Kate will do next – as the reality is she needs to sell all her remaining stock samples, accessories and industrial sewing machines – designing is part of her DNA and that innate desire to create and see her designs worn will always remain.
“While Kate Fearnley is closing, I’m sure this isn’t the end for me as a designer,” says Kate, who admits she can’t imagine herself doing anything else.
“It’s the closing of one extraordinary chapter, one I am so proud to have achieved. What this brand represents – creativity, passion, individuality and joy – will always be a part of me and hopefully there will be lots of new opportunities ahead.”
To everyone who has been dressed by Kate, and admired and championed her for being a local success story, she adds: “From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for believing in me, for wearing my designs, and for making these last 24 years the most incredible journey that I am so very proud of. It’s the end of an era.”
- Details of an exclusive sale will be announced over the next couple of days where all remaining bridal, prom and occasion wear samples (in a range of sizes 8-12) and accessories will be sold at very special prices. Furniture and sewing machines, mannequins, fabrics and haberdashery will also be available for purchase.
- Private sale sample appointments in Kate Fearnley’s Stokesley studio will also be available. All dresses must go to new homes by the end of October. Please email kate@katefearnley.com or message @katefearnleybridal to arrange this.
All photography by Natalie Pluck.
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