Superdry’s Cofounder James Holder Found Guilty of Rape

The streetwear company responded to the former brand and design director’s conviction.​The streetwear company responded to the former brand and design director’s conviction. 

Superdry‘s cofounder James Holder was found guilty of rape for a 2022 incident.

Holder, 54, remains in custody until his May 7 sentencing at Bristol Crown Court. He was acquitted of assault with penetration.

The complainant’s identity was not revealed. In England, victims of rape and serious sexual assault are entitled to anonymity, according to a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service.

The 2022 incident reportedly took place after a night of drinking in Cheltenham. The victim reportedly claimed Holder had entered her taxi and her home uninvited.

A press release from the CPS said, “Despite her telling the driver that the men would be going to a different address, they both followed her into her flat. The woman got both men a drink, assuming they would go home afterwards, but Holder fell asleep on her bed and the other man on her couch. The woman told police that she drifted off to sleep in her living room, and later became aware of Holder entering the room. She told him it was late and to go back to sleep, and he asked her to show him back to the bedroom. When she did, he pulled her onto the bed and raped her.”

CPS’ Alex Ward said in a press release that the victim had repeatedly told him to stop. While Holder admitted to the sexual activity with the victim, he said it was consensual, according to Ward.

Ward said, “In cases like this, the prosecution must prove that the defendant did not have a reasonable belief that consent had been given. The evidence provided by the victim, both in her police interviews and in court, led the jury to convict Holder of rape.”

Holder’s attorney Michelle Heely did not respond to a media comment Friday. A representative for her acknowledged another media request.

Asked for comment on Friday, a Superdry spokesperson said that Holder had resigned as a director and employee at Superdry in 2016, and “any consultancy arrangement” with the company ended in 2019.

In a statement, Superdry said, “The offense for which he has been convicted relates to an event in 2022, long after any role with Superdry had ended. It does not involve Superdry, its premises, employees, or business activity. As sentencing remains a matter for the court, Superdry cannot comment further.”

The spokesperson added, “As the legal process remains ongoing, we are unable to comment beyond the statement above.”

While Holder’s active role at Superdry ended years before the events in question, “this is yet another example of the personal connection between fashion founders and their brands — and what a significant liability that connection can be in the event of a scandal,” according to Fordham University’s Fashion Law Institute founder Susan Scafidi.

“No ‘morals clause’ ever drafted can fully sever the association in the mind of consumers,” Scafidi said. “The law cannot and should not punish a company for the acts of a sometime founder, but the court of public opinion may not be so cool-headed.”  

At the time of Holder’s departure from the company as brand and design director in 2016, annual sales were 589.5 million pounds — a 21 percent gain compared to the previous year. As of last year Superdry’s annual sales were 374.6 million pounds or $495.3 million, which was a 23.3 percent decline compared to 2024. The brand currently has more than 600 stores globally.

Born in Studley, Warwickshire, and raised in Stratford-upon-Avon, Holder started selling T-shirts as a teenager at BMX and skateboarding events and later studied at Leamington Spa Art College. Holder launched the British streetwear label Bench at the age of 19 and pitched it to retailers like Cult Clothing, which Julian Dunkerton cofounded. In 1999, Holder and Dunkerton then started Soho Coffee Company, before cofounding Superdry 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.

Over time, Superdry unveiled hundreds of stores and developed a diehard following for its streetwear and bright skateboard and athletic-inspired styles. In 2005, Holder’s Osaka 6 T-shirt was a hit with many including David Beckham, and the brand attracted celebrity fans like Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Over time, Superdry added womenswear and denim to its assortment. In 2016, Superdry teamed up with the actor Idris Elba for a collaboration.

In a 2016 interview, Holder said of their start, “We saw a huge gap in the British men’s fashion market and that’s where it all began. The three ingredients at the start was firstly Julian’s love of American vintage clothing and the approach to vintage American cotton. The second was my love of Japanese imagery and attention to detail, and the third was a shared love for British tailoring. Hence the slim fits you see with many of our designs. At the time nobody had that winning combination, we ended up with this unique looking product combined with a perfect price point.”