Fashion
Recovering John Lewis may open new department stores, ramps up fashion offer
Published
November 26, 2025
It’s not so long ago that John Lewis was closing some of its department stores and battling a sales slump that tipped it into loss-making territory. But with its recovery now under way, the MD of John Lewis Partnership’s (JLP) department stores unit has said that the company may open new branches as well as adding new fashion brands.
Peter Ruis said in an interview that there are “definitely no plans to close ” stores and that openings are “definitely something we are looking at” with hints of moves into areas of the UK where it’s not previously had a presence. That said, there are no plans for any openings at present.
Underlining the relative confidence of physical store retailers, despite the tough backdrop, he told The Guardian: “The store is a perfect invention, and we’ve seen only too well, coming back from Covid, how people have gravitated back to the stores.”
The company will clearly think carefully about new spaces in the future though, especially after expensive mistakes in the past. The Birmingham Grand Central store, for instance, opened in 2015 and enjoyed a £35 million investment, but was closed during lockdowns then shuttered permanently post-pandemic. John Lewis’s most recent opening was Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, in 2018.
Having closed 16 sites in total in an effort to get back on track, the former growth superstar is now profitable again. It also has executives with strong retail experience at the helm following criticism of it during a period when its top team had little direct knowledge of store retailing.
Store investment
John Lewis had committed £800 million by 2029 to upgrading its existing stores and that included a big revamp at its Oxford Street, London flagship that was complete last year. Unlike the original plan to devote a lot of the space to offices, the company chose to retain the six floors as sales bounced back. And with former John Lewis fashion boss Ruis returning to the company last year to lead the turnaround, the retailer now feels like a business on the rise.
Ruis said the stores had to be modernised and the company is “getting rid of the old stuffy department store and replacing it with something more experiential”.
That includes the addition of new brands, the deal with Topshop being the highest-profile of these. But collabs with names such as Labrum London and Rejina Pyo have also been important, as have initiatives such as Beauty Hall makeovers, a new Gifting Emporium at Bluewater and a VIP members’ lounge at Oxford Street.
Ruis explained that his task is to bring “radical relevance” to the store estate and the changes at the business are clealry beign seen in womenswear in particular.
He said there will be “some big, announcements coming” on new brands next year. “The brands are queueing up to come into us, whereas… a few years ago, we were probably trying to convince them. They see all of this change, all this excitement and suddenly the relevance of what we can offer them,” he added.
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Fashion
US brand Calvin Klein unveils Spring 2026 denim with Jung Kook
Directed and shot by Mert Alas, the new chapter sharpens the focus on denim as the ultimate expression of personal style through icon Jung Kook’s distinctive and influential point of view as he lives in the moment.
Calvin Klein, owned by PVH Corp., has unveiled its Spring 2026 denim campaign fronted by BTS icon Jung Kook.
Directed and photographed by Mert Alas, the cinematic film fuses music, movement and city energy, highlighting 90s Straight, Baggy and reworked Trucker silhouettes.
A special appearance by Rosie Perez amplifies the brand’s signature visual storytelling.
The campaign unfolds across a series of immersive worlds, unified and guided by Jung Kook’s style, attitude and way of living. The high-impact film fuses fashion and entertainment, moving to an instantly recognizable soundtrack and brought to life through the artist’s signature choreography and commanding presence. The interplay of music and movement – complete with a cameo from New York City legend Rosie Perez – captures the impact synonymous with Calvin Klein’s iconic visual storytelling.
Calvin Klein jeans are at the center of the wardrobe with hero silhouettes leading the narrative: the effortless attitude of the 90s Straight; the relaxed and nostalgic proportions of the Baggy; and new interpretations of the iconic Trucker jacket — all reimagined with elevated washes and designed for versatility. Casual logo tees and oversized bombers complete the looks, reinforcing denim as both uniform and statement.
“I love Calvin Klein jeans because they’re designed to be lived in,” said Jung Kook. “The looks I wore for this campaign nod to ‘90s style while feeling completely modern. It was exciting to bring together my love of music, dance and fashion against the energy of the city.”
Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Fashion
China targets 4.5 to 5% GDP growth for 2026
Premier Li Qiang, who delivered the report at the opening of the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress in Beijing, said the growth target is “well aligned with the country’s long-range objectives through the year 2035 and is broadly in line with the long-term growth potential of China’s economy, with favorable conditions in place for achieving this target.”
China has set a GDP growth target of 4.5–5 per cent for 2026, alongside goals to stabilise employment, manage inflation, maintain grain output and cut emissions.
The plan also preserves flexibility for structural reforms under the 15th Five-Year Plan, aiming to balance steady economic expansion with long-term, high-quality and sustainable development.
Main development targets for 2026 also include a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5 per cent, creation of over 12 million new urban jobs, a rise in the consumer price index of around 2 per cent, personal income growth in step with economic growth, a basic equilibrium in the balance of payments, grain output of around 700 million tonnes, and a drop of around 3.8 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP.
Qiang said the targets took into account the need to leave room for structural adjustments, risk prevention and reform in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) period, to lay a solid foundation for improved performance in the coming years. Government at local level should, taking into account their own conditions, make solid efforts to deliver positive outcomes, he added.
Analysts said the 2026 target reflects a pragmatic approach in recognising structural and cyclical challenges facing the world’s second-largest economy, while pursuing reasonable growth in line with high-quality development.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JP)
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