THERE’S TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO BE ON TREND

Jo Bennett, 41, head of Womenswear Buying at John Lewis & Partners

YOU may not have heard Jo’s name, but she is quite likely to have picked out some of the pieces in your wardrobe. As head of womenswear at John Lewis, she is perhaps

the most influential woman in High Street fashion, with the power to make or break labels. And today, she says, sustainability is a key part of what attracts her to a range.

‘Customers want to know more about where their clothes are from. We’ve started this with our cashmere, for example — the details are on the tags and our website.’

John Lewis has signed up to the Sustainable Fibre Alliance (SFA), a British non-profit organisation that monitors the cashmere supply chain all the way from goat herders to retailers. It has also been trialling a buyback scheme in its store in Oxford, where customers are paid £3 in vouchers for worn clothes bought from the shop (up to a maximum of three items). Jo hopes to extend the scheme with a pop-up at the flagship Oxford Street branch on Earth Day in April. ‘Earth Day will also see the launch of our collaboration with eco-conscious brand Mother of Pearl,’ says Jo. The range will be available in 14 stores and online.

Yet we need to buy less as well as buy better — and as the High Street battles the increasing might of online retail, that is a potential problem for stores like John Lewis.

‘There’s no denying that department store retailing is having a challenging time,’ Jo admits. ‘But we are fighting back with innovation.’ Would she consider introducing a rental service? ‘Oh, absolutely. We’re working on some plans for that at the moment. The way women look after and manage their wardrobes will be completely different. From rental to buy-back — it’s getting that circular economy going.’

Most of all, Jo believes women should find joy in their wardrobes.

‘My own go-to is my tux suit from Modern Rarity,’ she says. ‘I love fashion but there is too much pressure on women to keep up with trends. You should wear what suits you — outfits you will want to wear again and again.’

WHAT TO WEAR TO SAVE THE PLANET: ‘ John Lewis’s And/Or denim jeans, made from organic cotton and recyled polyester.’