Menswear brand Asuwere is ceasing its operations and closing its Ponsonby store after nine years in business.

The unique, subscription-based clothing business that aimed to “take the hassle out of shopping” was backed by All Blacks legend Dan Carter. Upon announcing the news of its closure, Asuwere claimed its business was one that “thousands of men believed in”.

“As the business has evolved over the past nine years, so too has the landscape around it,” the retailer added. “After exploring every option for what could come next, we have made the decision to bring Asuwere to an end.”

The fashion label said that operating both membership and direct-to-consumer business models “was always going to be a hard road”.

“Unfortunately, executing Asuwere to the standard we have always held it to is no longer viable, and we would rather close cleanly than compromise on what matters most,” it added.

The Ponsonby store will shut its doors at the end of June, with all remaining stock sold on a “once it’s gone, it’s gone” basis.

Co-founder Samuel Hickey called the Asuwere business “the ride of a lifetime”.

“My favourite part of what we built is the people. Members who joined eight years ago, still subscribing to this day, who I now consider lifelong friends,” he said. 

“As co-founder, director and designer for the past nine years, I have worn many hats, from retail assistant and warehouse manager to designer, marketer, photographer and CEO, all while raising a young family. It has been the ride of a lifetime, and it is now time to take a step back and think about what comes next.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have created, and I gave it everything right until the end.”