Superdry Cofounder James Holder Jailed for Eight Years

by · WWD
Idris Elba and Superdry founders Julian Dunkerton and James Holder in a scene from "Cut From a Different Cloth."Courtesy image

James Holder, the cofounder of British clothing company Superdry, has been sentenced to eight years in jail for raping a woman. 

Last week the 54-year-old Cheltenham, Gloucestershire resident was convicted of rape by a jury at Cirencester Crown Court. After a night of drinking in Cheltenham in May 2022, Holder and a friend got into the victim’s taxi uninvited and despite her telling the taxi driver that the two men were going to a different address, the two men followed her into her home.

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The woman got both men a drink, “assuming they would go home afterward, but Holder fell asleep on her bed and the other man on her couch,” according to a statement issued by the Crown Prosecution Service Thursday. The woman told police that after falling asleep in her living room, she became aware of Holder entering the room. The victim told Holder it was late and to go back to sleep, and he asked her to show him back to the bedroom, according to the CPS. “When she did, he pulled her onto the bed and raped her,” the release stated. During the trial, Holder did not deny the sexual encounter but claimed he thought it was consensual.

Holder’s legal team could not be reached immediately Thursday.

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Alex Ward, senior district crown prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, said, “The case of James Holder shows that even in instances where it is one person’s word against another, the jury does find defendants guilty of rape.”

Stating how the CPS and Gloucestershire Police built “a strong case thanks to the evidence provided by the victim, including photos and video evidence she had captured,” Ward encouraged “anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault to go to the police. Your voice matters and you will be listened to.” 

Holder, a married father of two, started what became the multimillion-dollar Superdry brand with Julian Dunkerton in 2003. The pair traveled to Japan in search of vintage Americana and Japanese imagery. During his tenure, Holder was said to have overseen thousands of designs annually.

Superdry unveiled hundreds of stores and developed a diehard following for its streetwear and bright skateboard and athletic-inspired styles. The brand was also a forerunner with exclusive collaborations.

After he was sentenced, a Superdry spokesperson highlighted his departure date in an issued statement that included, “The offense for which he has been convicted relates to events in 2022, long after any role with Superdry had ended. The case does not involve Superdry, its premises, employees or business activity, and Superdry was not a party to the court proceedings. Our thoughts are with the victim. Superdry has no further comment.”