The High Court has made formal orders winding up four companies employing 487 people here that are part of the UK fashion group Arcadia.
The companies which operate brands including Wallis, Top Shop and Miss Selfridge will continue to trade under the liquidators into the new year pending any disposal of the Arcadia group.
Mr Justice Brian O'Moore said it was "another sad milestone in the decline of bricks and mortar retailing in Ireland".
The Irish operating companies, including Miss Selfridge Retail Ireland, between them employ 487 people in 14 stores in the Republic and have concession stands in various premises.
It is hoped to procure the sale of the Irish operations as part of an overall sale of the Arcadia group.
The Irish stores will continue to trade into January pending any disposal of the Arcadia group and to maximise the value of winter fashion stock.
The companies are Arcadia Group Multiples Ireland Ltd, Topshop/Topman Ireland Ltd, Wallis Retail Ireland and Miss Selfridge Retail Ireland.
The High Court had last month appointed Ken Fennell and James Anderson of Deloitte as joint provisional liquidators to the companies. Their appointment was sought within hours of the appointment of provisional administrators to the Arcadia Group (AGL) in the UK.
AGL owns the Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis Retail Ireland Ltd, Miss Selfridge, Evans, Burton and Outfit brands, trading from over 500 stores in the UK employing more than 13,000.
The court heard the Irish companies are unable to pay their debts due to the insolvency of the Arcadia group as a whole.
The Irish companies are entirely dependent on the Arcadia group. They had already encountered difficulties before because of the shift to online sales, high level of customer returns and increased competition and the Covid 19 pandemic had a catastrophic impact.
The Irish stores were closed for more than 23 weeks, seeing revenues plummet. Because online sales were carried out through UK entities, the Irish companies generated no income during the closures and all four companies made losses in the financial year to end August 2020.
During the 30 November hearing, the court was told the companies dispute the extent of a demand received from pension scheme trustees.
On Monday, a solicitor representing the trustees said, prior to the presentation of the winding up petition, the trustees sought a payment of some €2.5m.
The trustees have made submissions to the liquidators concerning the ranking of their debt and about payments of sums falling due while the companies continue to trade, he said.
Dermot B. Cahill BL, for the Revenue, said there is an outstanding VAT debt of some €2.04m, plus more than €542,000 owed in PAYE, PRSI and USC.
A sum of €81,913 was due in Corporation tax from the Wallis company and a refund may also be due to the group, counsel outlined.
