Jessica White: Shakuhachi founder lives it up in Bali despite $1M debt
JESSICA White looks just like any young Australian holidaying in Bali.
With her blonde hair pulled into a casual top knot and a skimpy white playsuit showing off her deep tan, she appears not to have a worry in the world.
But her customers and suppliers claim the fashion designer behind Shakuhachi owes them close to $1 million — and they’re not happy.
Ms White jetted off overseas after the company went into liquidation, leaving a trail of debts in her wake.
Now disgruntled shoppers want answers, and so does the liquidator, who wants to ask Ms White what happened to more than $600,000 he believes she may have taken out of the business.
But she was unwilling to answer questions when confronted at a Bali cafe by a camera crew from A Current Affair.
Ms White’s demeanour changed from happy-go-lucky to evasive when asked by reporter Chris Allen.
“I’m just wondering if I can ask you some questions about some money your company owes in Australia,” Owen says in footage aired on Thursday night.
The designer, who initially smiled for the cameras, gets up and leaves the table, reportedly hiding in the toilets at the back of the venue.
“You can’t just take someone’s money and think that you don’t have to give it back to them, or you don’t have to fulfil an order,” customer Niquita Miller-Hayes told A Current Affair after a failed attempt to recover $400 she claims to have spent on Shakuhachi items that never showed up.
“You can’t take people’s money and then just disappear ... It’s appalling. It’s absolutely appalling.”
Shakuhachi was placed under voluntary administration in May last year, but many shoppers were left in the dark about the company’s woes.
The label’s Facebook page has been flooded with complaints about orders that never showed up, and customers chasing refunds to no avail, while Fair Trading has received more than 100 complaints.
More than 80 creditors have claims against the company, including Woollahra council, which told ACA it had written off a $1200 waste collection debt.
Meanwhile, Ms White has been living the high life in Bali with glamorous friends like Lindy Klim, who has posted images of the pair enjoying cocktails by the beach on the island.
Shakuhachi is still operating as its assets and brand were bought from administrators by Loft HK Limited in 2015.
Liquidator Andrew Spring, of forensic accounting firm Jirsch Sutherland, is examining the books of Ms White’s old company Shakuhachi Limited.
He told ACA he was still waiting to hear from the designer two years after the label collapsed, and wanted to know how she was paying for her Bali lifestyle.
“We’ve been able to identify somewhere in the vicinity of $600,000 of funds which appear to be taken out,” Mr Spring said.
“We, as yet, have not heard her side of the story. So we would encourage her to make contact with us to be able to explain how these transactions arose.”
Ms White said in a statement that she was no longer involved in “the day to day running of the business or any of the retail sites in either Australia or Indonesia”.
“At present, my only involvement with Shakuhachi is consulting and advising on design,” the statement said.
“The online store is run exclusively by Loft HK Limited and I have no involvement with orders, purchasing or the fulfilment of any goods. I am not receiving any funds from the sale of Shakuhachi clothing either in-store or online.
“My understanding is that Loft HK Limited are working closely with all consumers and Fair Trading to resolve any complaints, provide a refund and/or fulfil all outstanding orders.”
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