John Lewis to launch fast fashion range to bolster turnaround plan
JOHN Lewis will launch a fast fashion range in a bid to return the department store to its glory days.
The Partnership, which also owns Waitrose supermarkets, will extend its Anyday line of homeware and technology products to offer 700 products in menswear, womenswear and children’s clothing.
The brand has already pulled in sales of close to £60m. The new range will include £4 leggings for kids and £22 jogging bottoms for women.
It will continue to stock its ownbrand products under the ‘John Lewis & Partners’ label. Around 300 items will be stocked in 120 Waitrose supermarkets from the end of the month, with plans to expand.
Dame Sharon White (pictured) has already moved to more closely integrate the two businesses, including allowing online John Lewis customers to collect orders in Waitrose.
Pippa Wicks, executive director, said: ‘Anyday was created to deliver style, quality and value for money and has been our most successful own-brand home launch for a spring season to date. The strong reaction from customers led to nearly £60m in sales in the first four months.’
Next week John Lewis announces its interim results after a record £452m loss in the year to January 2021.
It has shut 16 of its 50 stores and reorganised its head office, putting thousands of staff out of work. The company is facing a rebellion over ‘poverty wages’ after a petition to raise salaries claimed that one in five do not receive the ‘real living wage’ of £9.50 per hour, or £10.50 per hour in London. John Lewis said it will raise pay to at least the real living wage when its profits reach £200m. ÷ SALES at Ted Baker are close to a third below pre-pandemic levels as its city centre stores suffer from the lack of commuters and tourists.
The fashion brand was hammered last year by the closure of stores and the move away from formal clothes and party wear. Store sales were 45pc below pre-pandemic levels in the 16 weeks to August 14. Counting online, overall sales are 30pc down on 2019.