Debenhams could return as physical retailer

Debenhams may have closed all of its physical stores, but a new location could open under the Debenhams name. Now owned by Boohoo Group, the Debenhams brand is the subject of talks regarding the opening of one small shop outside of London.

That’s according to The Times, which quoted Boohoo chief John Lyttle, who didn’t reveal the location. But he did say that the reason is so that Debenhams can get a number of upscale beauty brands back on board.

He said the Debenhams website has been relaunched with brands such as Benefit, Elizabeth Arden and Ralph Lauren part of the mix. But in order to list big names like Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent, among others, the company needs to have a physical presence as certain brands won’t supply online-only businesses.

That’s all we know for now and Lyttle stressed that this was certainly no move away from Boohoo’s pureplay online focus.

Meanwhile, the company will soon be launching a marketing campaign to boost the new Debenhams online site, focusing on the fact that the local store may have closed but popular brands are available from the webstore.

Lyttle also said that consumer tastes were switching back towards the kind of clothes popular pre-lockdown and away from the loungewear that dominated the last 15 months.

But while dresses have returned to favour, there’s still a casual edge to the most popular pieces that he told the newspaper were suitable for socialising in the park “rather than rolling out of a club at 3am”.

Debenhams could return as physical retailer - but with one small store

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