Superdry&Co CEO on bringing back Bench for a new generation
British lifestyle brand Bench, which has deep roots in Manchester's music, skateboarding and BMX subcultures, is being revived for a new generation by Superdry&Co’s chief executive officer, Julian Dunkerton, with a little help from his daughter Kitty, who acted as a “sense check” for the new collection.
“In the 90s, I was the largest retailer for Bench, and I couldn’t be happier about the relaunch,” Dunkerton told FashionUnited at the official launch preview for the brand in London. “The new collection has a nod of nostalgia, while being relevant to this generation. This isn’t a throwback but a refinement; there are pieces inspired by the brand’s archive and new modern twists.”
The debut drop launched with an extensive 150-piece offering for women and men, leaning into Y2K nostalgia, while offering young British consumers functional, affordable staples, shaped by the late 90s attitude and the details that made it iconic, from the trademark thumbholes to the layered silhouettes, and the high funnel necks, and reworked with cleaner cuts and sharper proportions.
“I’m curating a journey with Superdry & Co., where everything has a reason to exist, and Bench is part of that major push,” added Dunkerton. “Bench leans into that youth-driven space we are creating, targeting 16–24-year-olds with affordable, cool styles with a grungy 90s aesthetic, which complements, rather than competes with the preppy mainline Superdry offering.”
Key highlights from the range include technical outerwear items such as the double-zip funnel ripstop jacket, designed to fit closer to the body for a more tailored look, to the faux fur hooded Windcheater jacket, embroidered with the Bench logo on the neck strap, to the relaxed fit hooded shell zip jacket, available in five colourways, including a light moody check.
Other looks include Bench’s signature double zip hoodies and sweatshirts with logos and contrasting stripes, as well as casual staples such as boxy T-shirts and high-neck track tops, and new styles such as the low-rise tiered skirt, which became one of the brand’s most sought-after items on launch day.
Sarah Fisher, senior designer special projects at Superdry & Co, who worked closely with Dunkerton on the Bench collection, said: “It was essential that we stayed true to the archive original Bench range, but also had the right mix for now.
“It’s also the first time we’ve launched on TikTok shop - this is the ideal collection for that platform, and it's so fun to see it all come together."
The Bench revival also signals the continued evolution of Superdry&Co as a destination for a new generation of shoppers, with the new collection launching in the brand’s Oxford Street flagship in London with its own 2,500 square foot shop-in-shop space on the first floor, sitting alongside the store’s curated vintage offering and the mainline Superdry line. Dunkerton adds that there are also plans to add a marketplace to the basement level of the flagship, highlighting up-and-coming young brands, as he continues to enhance the shopping experience and create more reasons for young people to engage with the brand.
The collection is also available online at Superdry.com and through the retailer’s new TikTok Shop, which Superdry is trialling with Bench’s menswear and womenswear, as part of its ongoing strategy to connect more closely with a younger, Gen Z audience.
Dunkerton added: “I have an understanding of the teenage market, they want shopping experiences, and great, accessible products, and now we are also meeting them where they are already highly engaged on TikTok. It marks our first step into social commerce and a great way to target that younger generation we are focused on.”
Superdry has plans to roll out dedicated Bench shop-in-shop concepts within its larger retail locations, such as Manchester, Glasgow and Lincoln, as well as plans to launch in Germany with the brand in negotiations to open a new store in Berlin.
“The three countries that Bench was massive in were the UK, Germany and Canada. While we might not be doing Canada, we’re doing Europe, and we’re going to have a massive focus on Germany over the next 12 months,” added Dunkerton. “The plan is to turn Bench into a 30-to-50-million-pound independent business.”
Commenting on the relaunch, Peter Wood, CEO at Apparel Brands, which acquired the intellectual property for Bench in 2020, said: “The Bench x Superdry & Co collaboration reflects our ambition to build meaningful brand partnerships that resonate globally. This collection marks an exciting move into a more dynamic, youth-driven space.
“It’s all about energy, attitude, and creating something that truly connects with the next generation. Together, Apparel Brands and Superdry & Co are offering a product that blends style, quality, and broad consumer appeal.”