Valley Eyewear: Gold Coast-based brand worn by Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie collapses into liquidation

A Gold Coast eyewear brand worn by the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Margot Robbie and Kanye West has collapsed – triggering a fire sale of more than $600,000 worth of stock.

Valley Eyewear fell into liquidation after a court ordered the urgent sale of the business, stock and optical equipment.

The related company House of Valley, registered to launch the Valley Eyewear’s Burleigh Heads store and optometrist in 2024, has also collapsed.

Founded in 2011 by Michael Crawley, Tenielle Crawley and Matthew Grippo, the brand proved to be a success not just in Australia but across the world.

The founders’ close relationship seemingly soured following a court battle between the owners.

The circumstances behind the events leading to the brand’s collapse have not been publicly detailed, but Worrell’s James Robba and Jason Bettles have been appointed liquidators by the Federal Court.

The subsequent sale ad said it included “motor vehicles, plant and equipment, over 600k in new stock, optical equipment, intellectual property, customer databases, digital and social media assets”.

“The business is continuing to trade as normal. We are working closely with the directors, staff and other key stakeholders while commencing an urgent sale campaign for the business,” Mr Robba told The Courier Mail.

“Our objective is to give interested parties the opportunity to acquire the business of the companies, while seeking to maximise the outcome for all stakeholders.”

Two days prior to the liquidation, Ms Crawley registered a new company called Valley Eyewear Group and is a co-director with Robert Fullagar.

The Crawleys created another company on the same day called Crawley Family Holdings, which is now the new Valley company’s majority shareholder.

Co-founder Michael Crawley has previously spoken about how the end of his career in the surfing industry lead him to start the business with his wife and their long-time friend.

The company grew to sell across more than 20 countries and was quickly embraced by celebrities.

However, international attention hasn’t always gone their way with Valley Eyewear facing backlash in 2018 after they used a Croatian Holocaust memorial as a backdrop for their advertising campaign.