©Samuel Hagger via Unsplash
James Holder, one of the founders of British fashion brand Superdry, was convicted of rape on Friday, May 1.
The 54-year-old Briton was convicted by a jury after a five-day trial in Cirencester, UK. The acts took place on May 7, 2022 after a night out at the victim's apartment. Holder, who was drunk at the time of the acts, claimed that it was mutual consent, but the court found enough evidence to rule that it was indeed rape. The incident took place in Holder's native Gloucestershire, where he lived after his Superdry career and pursued other fashion projects.
It's not yet clear what sentence he will get. In the meantime, James Holder remains in jail because the judge fears he would otherwise run away. Thus, no bail was granted.
James Holder founded British fashion brand Superdry in 2003 with Julian Dunkerton out of Cheltenham. However, Holder left Superdy in 2016 as head of product innovation and then ended his consultancy role in 2019, but retained an equity stake as a former co-founder. The British fashion chain Superdry has nine stores in the Netherlands.
His conviction is already causing great outrage among fashion lovers and former employees online, who still associate Holder with the iconic Superdry image. Superdry has yet to release an official statement on the matter. However, experts point out that the affair does not directly harm the brand, as Holder has not been involved in the day-to-day management of the company for decades.
©Samuel Hagger via Unsplash