John Lewis adding 50 new fashion and beauty brands

Department store John Lewis is adding 50 new fashion and beauty brands, from start-up independents to high street favourites to cater for what it calls a “shift in dress codes” with shoppers opting for more comfortable, casual attire over more formal styles.

Over the past 12 months, lifestyles have changed and with it, what customers want in their wardrobes, explained John Lewis in a statement, as the trend for ‘casualisation’ is accelerating. To cater for this shift, the department store is modernising its fashion offering with new brands including Baukjen, Mango, Kemi Telford and Banana Republic.

John Lewis states that it will introduce the emerging, independent and predominantly online brands in the “coming weeks” with a focus on athleisure and conscious offerings. This will include new sustainable brand Albaray, from some of the team behind Warehouse, coming in March, and Black-owned Kemi Telford, known for its vibrant prints in April.

The first new womenswear brands will be Mango, Banana Republic, Baujken, Girlfriend Collective, Ninety Percent, New Balance, Aab Collection, Thought and Ro&Zo.

Jo Bennett, head of womenswear at John Lewis, said in a statement: “The pandemic has accelerated the casualisation of our wardrobes that was already in the making - great puffer jackets, elevated loungewear and relaxed-fit dresses, have become staples in our everyday dressing. We continue to evolve our fashion offer as our customers’ lifestyles shift and the new brands we are launching have been carefully curated to boost our mood and help us dress for the way we live now.

“Offering great style and a wide range of prices, we are delighted to work with emerging, independent brands, championing them and providing them with access to our nationwide platform. We are excited to share these new brands, many with brilliant sustainable credentials, and are also thrilled to offer our customers the first chance to shop Albaray, a new sustainable brand from some of the team behind Warehouse, boasting modern, effortless style for everyday wear.”

John Lewis adds athleisure, sustainable and high street fashion brands to offering

The menswear offering will also see new updates with brands that “underline great quality and strong purpose,” added the retailer, such as Community Clothing by Patrick Grant, a range of contemporary menswear all made in the UK. The collection offers timeless, affordable clothing that puts the values of supporting the sector and wider communities at the heart of the brand.

Other new menswear brands including Arc’teryx, Rapha, Champion, and Napapijri, which will sit alongside exclusive spring/summer collections from Barbour and Timberland. As well as Banana Republic, New Balance, Dickies, and Fat Face.

For accessories, a selection of brands includes sustainable L & T Heirlooms, Coach Jewellery, XOUXOU, Honey and Toast, Johnny Urban, Jeenaa, Nubian Skin, Levis, Dkny, and Aaks.

Across Childrenswear, John Lewis is adding Mango Kids, Scotch and Soda, Fat Face, and AO76 to recently launched brands Hugo Boss, Timberland, Billieblush, Dkny and Carrement Beau.

While in Nursery, brands such as Little Acorns affordable furniture ranges, Kit and Kin reusable nappies, SilentNight sustainable mattresses, Halo smart tech cribs, My expert midwife toiletries, Woodlife Project UK forestry weaning products and Egg2 and My Babiie strollers and prams will be available in the coming months.

The retailer also said new brands will be introduced to its beauty offering, adding to the recently launched It Cosmetics, with “further launches” in the pipeline for 2021.

Images: courtesy of John Lewis; Main image - Baukjen, Thought and Kemi Telford; Second image - Mango and John Lewis