A Cheltenham-based clothing brand, founded in 2003, known for jackets and hoodies that mix vintage American style with Japanese-inspired graphics.
Superdry designs and sells clothing, best known for its jackets and hoodies. Its look combines vintage American styling with Japanese-inspired graphics, and its Brad leather jacket became a best-seller after David Beckham wore one in 2007. It sells through its own stores, its website, and other retailers and partners, and its corporate site says it has been sold in 157 countries. Some of its products are vegan.
The roots of Superdry go back to 1985, when Julian Dunkerton and Ian Hibbs founded Cult Clothing in Cheltenham. In 2003 Superdry was founded by Ian Hibbs, Julian Dunkerton, James Holder and Theo Karpathios, and its first store opened in Covent Garden, London, in 2004. The name came from packaging with the word Super on it that the founders collected in Tokyo. Mr Dunkerton came back to lead the company in 2019 and, in the company's words, reset its focus on design and quality. Its stated vision, from its corporate website, is "to be the #1 premium sustainable style destination", supported by a sustainability programme called Grow Future Thinking.
Its head office is in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, where Cult Clothing started. Its flagship store is on Regent Street in London, a large site that also has a showroom on its upper floor. As of 2024 it reported about 3,350 staff and more than 215 stores worldwide. Since 2025 the company has been trading as Superdry & Co. It came off the London stock market in 2024 as part of a plan to strengthen the business, and it has closed some stores and cut costs, so it is a company in the middle of change.
The company's culture is closely tied to its founder. Mr Dunkerton has led it for much of its history, and the sources we read describe his return as a restart of the brand's identity around design. The brand has also had its share of lessons. In 2011 it admitted that some of the Japanese text on its clothes was machine-translated and did not mean anything,. We have not seen first-hand evidence of staff views, so treat any claims about culture as the company's own.
Jobs at a clothing company like this include designers and pattern specialists, buyers and merchandisers, brand and marketing teams, e-commerce and digital staff, store managers and sales advisers across the UK high street, and distribution and customer-service roles. Cheltenham is a smaller town than London or Manchester, which can suit people who want a career in fashion without moving to a big city. Check the company's website for its current structure before you apply.
Website: www.superdry.com
PURPOSE helps school and university students explore 62 sectors and over 1,000 entry-level careers in the UK, then connects them directly with employers.
Explore PURPOSE