House of Fraser looking to refocus brand offering

House of Fraser is looking to reshape its business in what executive chairman, Frank Slevin is calling a “transformational period” for the department store, which includes dropping between 30-40 womenswear brands including some of its ‘house’ brands as it looks to focus more on its core customer.

Maria Hollins, executive director of product and trading, who joined the retailer last year from Asos, confirmed that House of Fraser is to “streamline” its offering, especially across womenswear, which will include dropping ‘house’ brands Therapy, Dickins and Jones, Gray and Willow and Episode, along with brands targeting younger and older customers, which Hollins said would be exiting on a “store by store basis”.

Hollins wouldn’t confirm which brands or concession would be dropped, just stating that "discussion were currently underway", while adding that 30-40 brands wasn’t a huge number when you take into context that the department store has 677 brands across the whole business.

The reshaping of the womenswear portfolio, which Hollins described as ”eclectic without much consistency” will allow House of Fraser to expand some of its concessions, including Jigsaw and North Face to more of its stores, while giving more space to brands such as Barbour and Mint Velvet.

House of Fraser to introduce new ‘house’ brand in August

In addition, Hollins laid out steps to improve the remaining ‘house’ brands, such as Linea, its oldest brand which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, which she said would become more contemporary, offering subtle colour palettes, as well as a full range of accessories to make it a full lifestyle offering. Biba, the retailer’s most successful brand, will see designs featuring quality fabrics such as silk, while LabelLab, its causal brand will be expanded to make it “more exciting”, and its newest brand Maison de Nimes will see its denim offering expanding. These will also be joined by a new label set to launch in August, with further details to be released in the coming months.

“We want fewer but better house brands, cutting back to those with the most potential,” Hollins said. “There was also a lot of duplication. We have focused on getting a clear product, maintaining fit across the ranges, as well as ensuring that the ranges are competitive while not compromising on quality.”

Hollins also added that the retailer will be introducing a new “test bed” concept in five stores, which will allow House of Fraser’s customer to discover new brands while adding excitement to the retailer’s offering. The concept will be in a small area of the store in which Hollins described as “simple brand callouts” and the area will be refreshed each season and successful brands could have the opportunity to roll out across other stores.

The department store will also be pushing athleisure into 40 stores, with collections from its own ‘house’ brands, alongside brands including Minkpink, Ted Baker, Seafolly, and Acai Activewear, which the retailer will have the UK exclusive.

The last addition to the store refresh will be the introduction of year-round gifting options, as she said that was becoming an “increasingly important” market and is a “big opportunity” for House of Fraser. Initially, it will include a dedicated space in 20 stores offering beauty, food, men’s, fashion and accessories, which will be refreshed for events such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

The retailer’s online offering if also being reshaped to focus on the department stores core offering of fashion, beauty, lifestyle and home, and the retailer has already dropped 170 brands, which Hollins described as mostly “online only” brands, and from non-core categories such as garden sheds and breathalysers, which she said the site offered nine options.

House of Fraser focusing on core customer in new strategy

The refresh of the brand portfolio in-store and online is part of House of Fraser’s strategy to redefine its brand as ‘premium’, as well as to cater for its identified core customer ‘Jo’, who chief customer officer David Walmsley said the retailer has called her. ‘Jo’ is purpose-driven, who has built her life around her children, partner, parents, job and community is open to “discovering” new things and as her children are perhaps older and she has more time for herself.

“We are designing our business for one customer, Jo” explains Walmsley. “She is a modern woman, who is getting back me-time, and is looking for inspiration.”

This new approach will see the retailer adopting a new marketing strategy which will be more family orientated, not aimed at a younger customer that maybe House of Fraser has focused on with its adverts in recent years. The marketing will feature billboards around key stores and catchment areas in what Walmsley described as “micro local,” while adding that they will be brand focused and not just around sales.

Slevin added: “Our vision is evolving, we need to be more innovative in the way we move forward, but we are energetic in pursuing that change.”

Images: courtesy of House of Fraser