John Lewis to sell Harry Styles-backed brand in bid to lift fashion credentials

John Lewis is set to partner with dozens of new brands, including a Harry Styles-backed fashion label, as it seeks to sharpen its style credentials.

The historic retailer said it is working with 49 new brands for its spring and summer 2025 collection, as part of efforts to revive clothing sales.

It said the choice of new labels also reflects a customer shift towards “more exciting” menswear lines.

John Lewis’s fashion director, Rachel Morgans, said the brands and products should make customers “sit up and take notice”.

It comes after the retailer, which runs 34 department stores across the UK, reported weaker sales from its fashion arm in the first half of the latest financial year, as it blamed pressure on customers’ budgets.

However, rivals Next and Marks & Spencer have revealed stronger trade in clothing in recent months.

John Lewis said the launch of new designers is part of an effort “to modernise its offer” under recently appointed boss Peter Ruis.

The new brands include SS Daley, founded by London-based designer Steven Stokey-Daley.

Styles invested in the label last year after the designer was asked to dress the former One Direction star for the video for his song Golden.

Other new additions include Scandi brands NN07, a favourite of actor Jeremy Allen Scott, and Norse Projects.

Following the new launches, John Lewis will sell around 350 fashion brands, alongside its own-label ranges.

The retailer is also expanding ranges from existing label with exclusive lines from Barbour, Gant and Ralph Lauren’s “Polo Bear” collection.

Ms Morgans said: “Our fashion range certainly isn’t ‘as it was’ – we’ve still got the quality that people value but are introducing sharper designs from exciting new designers, which will make our customers sit up and take notice.

“Designs from the likes of SS Daley are the types of pieces that make people stop and ask ‘Where did you get that?’”