Today, John Lewis and Waitrose have unveiled their new brand names ‘John Lewis & Partners’ and ‘Waitrose & Partners’ on the facades of their flagship London shops in Oxford Street, White City, Westfield, Edgware Road and Clerkenwell.
The change has been designed to highlight their partnership business model and culture which differentiates them from their main competitors at a time when both businesses are investing in the service their Partners offer.
Following months of work and a multi-million pound investment in the interior and exterior John Lewis Oxford Street has today also revealed a brand new (40,000 sq ft) womenswear floor which houses 43 womenswear brands, nearly half of which are exclusive, or not widely available on the high street.
The space includes a new Style Studio where 12 personal stylists partners will offer styling appointments and daily fashion talks. At the centre of the womenswear floor is the company’s new womenswear collection which carries its new name John Lewis & Partners. The collection of 800 pieces has been designed with a commitment to quality, simplicity and style by the retailer’s in-house design team of 12 partners, and is the biggest investment John Lewis has ever made in its own brand womenswear.
Fifty per cent more space has been given to women’s shoes and the area includes a new concept ‘The Shoe Room by Kurt Geiger’. In this 1100 sq ft shoe boutique experts will offer shoe styling appointments and customers will be able to choose from luxury designer boutique brands; including Sarah Jessica Parker, Stuart Weitzman and Isabel Marant.
On the fifth floor John Lewis & Partners has created Oxford Street’s first terrace cafe where customers can relax and watch passers by below.
On the lower ground floor the retailer has added a new personal gifting area where today it is launching its first own-brand gifting collection called ‘Find Keep Give’. The collection is comprised of unique pieces, the majority of which were designed in-house by Partners. In the gifting area specially trained Partners will help customers find the perfect gift, personalise selected items and gift wrap them.
The outside of the shop has been cleaned including the famous, listed Barbara Hepworth sculpture. On the wall by the sculpture the retailer will project light displays, the first of which will be a film of partner’s names to illustrate the importance of partners to the business.
Waitrose & Partners has 84 shops in the capital, including Edgware Road and Clerkenwell, which will be the first two shops to get the new branding. Both branches will have a fresh new look inside and out with more a focus on fresh food and attractive service counters. The new branding will also be seen on 80 online grocery delivery vans based at Waitrose’s e-commerce fulfilment centre in Coulsdon.
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