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David Jones’ brand exodus only tells half the story

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David Jones’ brand exodus only tells half the story

Earlier this week, Country Road Group announced it would remove nearly 100 of its 283 concessions from David Jones, significantly reducing the presence of Witchery, Mimco and its namesake brand across the network.

It’s the latest in a string of big names to pull back from the iconic department store, following Dior, Gucci, Chanel and even RM Williams. Collectively, the exits paint an ominous picture and invite the obvious conclusion that David Jones has a problem. 

But retail strategist Brian Walker believes they deserve a closer look. “The obvious narrative: another sign of David Jones’ problems,” Walker wrote. “But is it, entirely?” Country Road Group’s own results make his question worth asking. The group generated about $1.07 billion in revenue in FY26 but only $2.3 million in adjusted EBIT, a margin of just 0.2 per cent. For a retailer of that size, the numbers suggest Country Road Group has plenty of reasons to rethink where and how it sells.

The brands underneath that umbrella are also producing fairly disparate results. Witchery’s comparable sales rose 9.5 per cent, and Politix grew 10.2 per cent, while Country Road paved only slightly ahead. “Same economy. Same parent company. Much of the same infrastructure. Very different brand outcomes,” Walker wrote. In other words, the David Jones story may only explain part of what is happening. 

Each concession still has to justify its place, especially when 28 per cent of Country Road Group sales are already online. “Physical distribution for distribution’s sake matters less,” Walker wrote, adding that reducing its David Jones footprint may be a sensible choice.


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