It is reported that Singapore’s fashion darling has cut its international staff strength. But what motivated them to do so is not clear

February 2024. Love, Bonito flagship in central, Hong Kong, before the logo change in March. File photo: Leung Wing Cheung for SOTD

It was reported earlier today that one of our island’s favorite brands Love, Bonito is on a staff-reduction exercise across the markets in which they operate. CNA shared that 29 roles in those areas were cut, with Singapore accounting for 14. The total amounts to about 6.9 percent of the company’s work force. The brand’s CEO Dione Song told the broadcaster that “immediate focus will be on helping impacted individuals as well as remaining employees through this transition phase”. What they were transitioning to, she didn’t say. According to The Straits Times, Love, Bonito “did not respond when asked which job functions were affected and if the layoffs would affect its expansion plans.” Nothing was said either to explain the necessity of the not insignificant staff cut.

While staff layoffs can be indication that troubles are brewing at a brand, it is, however, not a reliable indicator of poor performance. Companies may lay off employees for various reasons—economic downturns, restructuring, or strategic changes, just to name three. It may not indicate management trouble. But high-profile, fairly large-scale lay-offs, such as that at Love, Bonito may not be perceived positively by their customers, even industry partners. When we asked some shoppers at their new Tampines One store (the brand’s 7th in our city), all were unaware of the layoffs. They did agree that usually, cutting down on staffing is sign of a company facing difficulties, even poor management.

July 2024. Love, Bonito’s latest store in Singapore at the newly refurbished Tampines One mall. File photo: Chin Boh Kay for SOTD

We asked a couple of industry veterans what might the layoffs at Love, Bonito mean, and they said that there could be the possibility of the brand “expanding too aggressively amid insufficient demand”. Love, Bonito has currently 26 stores in Asia. In June last year, they debuted a pop-up store in the Soho neighbourhood of New York City (it is not immediately known if the new Head of North America, Stephanie Seow, gets to retain her position or if their business plans for the US is on hold). One of the two whom we spoke to, is based in Hong Kong, where Love, Bonito has four stores. He said, “I think they are still rather unknown. Many of my friends have never heard of them.” In addition, he said, somewhat regrettably: “They are selling in Hong Kong, where there are many more fashion brands better than them.”

Recently, we passed the Love, Bonito store in 313@Orchard and caught sight of a white top in the window. It was not the incredible design that drew us to it. Far from that, the strange pivoting of the bust darts did: the right was higher than the left, and in the direction many degrees off where they should point. Some people think we deliberately seek out these technical shortcomings in Love, Bonito garments to fault them. No, we do not. To be sure, the quality of their garments has enhanced from their early freestanding-store days, but the improvements have not been pronounced enough. We have also been told that their prices are not adequately high to embrace technical finesse. How does one then explain the quality of Uniqlo? Or is Love, Bonito’s staff cuts an indicator of shifting priorities that would result in imparting gains to the quality of their clothes? We are happy to wait and see.