Claire's Accessories: I asked an AI to save Claire's - it came up with a bold plan to save the UK high street

• Claire’s Accessories has entered administration in the UK and Ireland after US bankruptcy
• The future of the teen accessories chain on British high streets remains uncertain
• The new owner of WHSmith’s high street shops has emerged as a frontrunner to buy Claire’s UK arm
• The chain faces mounting pressure from low-cost online rivals like Shein, Temu and the TikTok Shop
• So I asked AI supercomputer to draw up a definitive plan to save the brand

Claire’s, the once-ubiquitous teen accessories chain, is at a crossroads.

After filing for bankruptcy in the US and appointing administrators for its UK and Ireland business, the future of the brand on British high streets has been thrown into uncertainty.

Now, in a move that seems almost cinematic, the new owner of WHSmith’s (now TG Jones) high street shops has emerged as a frontrunner to take over Claire’s UK operations.

But what does it take to revive a 21st-century retail brand facing the relentless pressure of online competitors like Temu, Shein, and the TikTok Shop?

READ MORE: High street name appoints administrators after weeks of chaos

I turned to an unlikely advisor: an AI supercomputer (ChatGPT) tasked with drawing up a definitive plan to save Claire’s.

I asked it: “How would you save Claire's Accessories in the UK? What do you think needs to be done to revitalise the brand, and bring it up to modern standards on a 21st century high street? What can be done to keep the chain performing well against competition from cheap, online retailers like Temu and Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein?”

The AI replied, quickly: “If I were drawing up a strategy to revive Claire’s UK, I’d break it into three strands: brand repositioning, omnichannel strategy, and experiential retail.”

Brand repositioning: from “cheap and cheerful” to “playful, creative, community”

According to the AI, the first step is repositioning the brand, and focus on identity, not just price.

“Claire’s can’t win a race to the bottom with Temu or Shein,” it told me, and instead should lean into brand heritage (the place where many teens had their first piercing or accessory splurge) and reposition as a rite-of-passage brand for tweens and teens.

A shift to sustainable fun, pushing eco-conscious, recycled, or upcycled ranges, would appeal to a world in which parents are increasingly concerned about sustainability.

“So packaging ‘fun, affordable, but responsible’ would add a layer of trust Shein lacks,” it said.

ChatGPT also suggested employing what it call “micro-trend agility”, using small, fast-turnaround in-store collections linked to TikTok trends, but keeping them curated to “avoid the overwhelming Shein-style glut”.

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Omnichannel and digital revival

Digital transformation is the second pillar of the AI’s plan, particularly an “ominchannel” approach, where customers are given a seamless shopping experience across every channel — online, in-store, on social media, and even through apps.

In the year 2025, Claire’s “should have its own TikTok creator house-style feed”, showcasing “accessories in challenges, styling hacks, and collabs with teen influencers.

“Basically, it needs to market where its customers actually hang out,” the AI quipped.

It would also like to see a dedicated Claire’s app, which “could mix shopping with community — e.g., ‘style moodboards,’ try-on filters, loyalty points for sharing content.”

Under the speculative plans, local stores could also be turned into “pick-up spots for exclusive online-only drops, rewarding customers who come in-store.”

Experiential retail

“This is where Claire’s could really differentiate itself,” the AI said.

Piercing is still the brand’s USP, and luckily for Claire’s, is not something that can be replciated online. But ChatGPT says the service should be “modernised”, with “hygiene-first, boutique-style piercing lounges in stores.”

The physical/digital divide could become even narrower with the AI’s next suggestion: “themed accessory playgrounds”.

“Make stores feel like a cross between a beauty bar and a TikTok set,” it said, “neon mirrors, selfie zones, styling booths. Create an environment where shopping = content creation.”

In store workshops could “let kids design/customise their own jewellery or hair accessories,” and there could also be retail events instore, perhaps ones that “tie into prom, festival season, back-to-school.”

Competing with Temu and ‘the WHSmith factor’

Confronting the low-cost dominance of Temu and Shein, the AI recommended curation over quantity.

Rather than overwhelming customers with endless product options, “Claire’s should offer weekly capsule drops based on trending TikTok styles, blending speed with quality and safety.”

Collaborations with emerging Gen Z brands or nostalgic early-2000s IP could “generate excitement and cultural relevance”, and a subscription box model, delivering exclusive accessories monthly, “might also build recurring revenue”.

Finally, a potential WHSmith connection could provide Claire’s with “a logistical and strategic boost.”

Mini Claire’s concessions inside WH Smith stores, joint promotions for back-to-school seasons, and shared supply chains ”could extend the brand’s footprint at relatively low cost.”

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