James Holder (businessman)
British businessman (born 1971)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
James Michael Holder is a British businessman and convicted rapist, who co-founded the fashion brand Superdry & Co.
December 1971 (age 54)
James Holder | |
|---|---|
| Born | James Michael Holder December 1971 (age 54) Studley, Warwickshire, England |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Co-founder of Superdry & Co |
Early life
Born in Studley, Warwickshire, he was brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon and went to college in Leamington Spa where he studied graphic design.[1][2] As a teenager, he enjoyed reading comics.[2]
Holder started his career in fashion by selling T-shirts from the back of his mother's car at BMX events.[1] He went on to found the skateboarder label Bench.[1] He was made bankrupt in 1998.[1] While running Bench, Holder met Julian Dunkerton, who made a large order of Holder's products.[2] They later travelled to Japan together before founding Superdry.[3]
Career
In 2003, Holder co-founded Superdry with Julian Dunkerton as a market stall in Cheltenham.[4] In 2004, they opened the brand's first physical store in Covent Garden, London.[5][4] Holder was responsible for clothing design and brand development at the company.[6]
Holder said that he and Dunkerton spotted a "huge gap" in the UK men's market.[7] He has said that the initial inspiration for the brand was Dunkerton's love of Americana and his love of Japan and typography.[7][2]
In 2005, Superdry experienced a period of growth after David Beckham was seen wearing the brand.[1]
In 2010, the business was floated.[5] Holder led Superdry's product innovation division until 2016.[8] Holder also led SuperDesignLab, which was responsible for launching spin-off brand Superdry Sport.[9]
In 2016, Holder resigned from the company, but as of 2018 continued to hold a stake.[5][6]
In 2018, Holder joined fellow co-founder Julian Dunkerton in criticising Superdry's business strategy, claiming that it was unable to compete with ASOS.com.[5][8][10][11]
Personal life
As of 2017, he lived with his wife Charlotte, a lawyer, and their son and daughter.[1]
Rape conviction
In April 2026, Holder appeared at Gloucester Crown Court charged with raping a woman in Cheltenham in May 2022.[12] On 1 May 2026, a jury of seven men and five women found him guilty of rape, while acquitting him of a separate count of assault by penetration.[13] Holder was refused bail prior to sentencing on the grounds that he might be a flight risk, and on 7 May he was sentenced to eight years in prison.[14]