Highlights
- Woman says she returned to work just days after James Holder raped her in 2022.
- The former employee said Holder behaved as though nothing had happened when they met again.
- Holder was jailed for eight years in May after being convicted of rape.
A woman who was raped by Superdry co-founder James Holder has spoken publicly about the ordeal of returning to work just days after the attack, saying her former boss carried on "as if nothing had happened". The survivor, identified as Gemma to protect her anonymity, said she felt trapped by the power Holder held over her career before eventually reporting him to police.
Speaking to the BBC, Gemma revealed she was working for one of Holder's businesses when she was raped in May 2022 following a night out with colleagues in Cheltenham.
She said Holder unexpectedly got into her taxi at the end of the evening, despite separate transport having been arranged for him. After arriving at her home, he later raped her.
The following Monday, Gemma returned to work knowing she would have to see the man who had assaulted her.
"He did," she said when asked whether Holder spoke to her. "Very much like he would have spoken to me the week before. As if nothing had happened."
She described returning to the workplace as a period of "survival mode", saying she feared what each new day might bring while continuing to work for the person responsible for paying her salary.
'There was no room for mistakes'
Gemma said she had first worked at Superdry before joining another business launched by Holder after he left the company in 2016.
Although she had little direct contact with him during her time at Superdry, she described the culture at his later business as one where employees were constantly on edge.
According to Gemma, staff felt there was little room for mistakes and that Holder exercised a controlling style of leadership, creating an atmosphere where people remained on "high alert".
Fear of career consequences delayed police report
Gemma said she was initially reluctant to report the rape because of Holder's standing within the fashion industry and feared speaking out could damage her future employment prospects.
However, the company entered liquidation days after the attack, removing the immediate concern that reporting him could cost her livelihood. She described the closure as a "blessing in disguise", saying it gave her the freedom to go to the police.
Holder, 54, was sentenced to eight years in prison in May after being convicted of rape. During sentencing, the court heard the attack was a "despicable piece of sexual violence".
Calls for change in workplace culture
Reflecting on her experience, Gemma said positions of power within the fashion industry can be exploited, particularly where senior leadership is male-dominated and many employees are women.
She urged other survivors not to blame themselves for sexual violence, stressing that responsibility lies solely with the perpetrator.
Following Holder's sentencing, Detective Constable Elle MacLeod of Gloucestershire Police said Gemma's decision to report the crime may have prevented others from becoming victims and showed that no individual is beyond the reach of the law, regardless of status or wealth.
A spokesperson for Superdry said Holder resigned as a director and employee in 2016, with consultancy work ending in 2019. The company noted that the offence took place in 2022, several years after his association with the retailer had ended.
Gemma said she is now rebuilding her life and hopes speaking publicly will encourage other victims to come forward.
