John Lewis inks Topshop partnership

John Lewis has inked what it describes as a “landmark national partnership” with Topshop and Topman, that will bring both brands back in store nationwide next year.

From 3 February 2026, Topshop will be available in 32 John Lewis stores, while Topman will be on offer in six. The brands will also be available to shop via John Lewis online. Topshop returned to UK high streets for the first time since 2021 via a tie-up with premium London department store Liberty last month.  

“Bringing Topshop and Topman back to high streets across the UK is a landmark moment and we are thrilled to be their only nationwide store partner,” says John Lewis managing director, Peter Ruis.

“It’s the ultimate proof of our strategy: offering the most-loved brands alongside the unwavering trust of our brand promise. I grew up with these incredible brands. They have defined our high streets, bringing edge and accessibility with an iconic British lens.”

Topshop MD Michelle Wilson describes the partnership as a “key step” in the brand’s mission to engage with shoppers in real life.

John Lewis has also unveiled a major campaign to mark the centenary of its ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ price promise, which was reinstated in September 2024 after a two-year hiatus.

The ‘Tableau’ campaign is intended to celebrate the “vibrant tapestry” that makes up modern British life. Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the single-short style film aims to position John Lewis as being as relevant today as it has always been.

According to the retailer, the campaign “affirms the trust commitment” John Lewis has shown by actively investing in Never Knowingly Undersold, having matched over 300,000 prices on branded products in the past year alone.

The retailer describes 2025 as a year of “significant investment”, focused on enhancing the customer experience. John Lewis has embarked on an £800m store investment, including the creation of new beauty halls, “revitalised” retail floors and fresh casual dining options.

After achieving 40% sales growth in the beauty category over the past five years, in August the retailer kickstarted its “multi-million-pound investment” in beauty with the roll out of its first “immersive, multi-sensory” beauty hall in Liverpool.

The revamped store features 132 premium brands and is anchored on a new partnership with Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, with five additional beauty hall transformations planned this year.

John Lewis is also looking to “solidify its position as a style destination” with a raft of new fashion partnerships.

John Lewis appoints digital boss amid wider brand push

Last month, the retailer added 100 new menswear and womenswear brands to its stores, including premium labels such as By Malene Birger and an exclusive collection of 25 handbags and accessories by Mulberry. These latest additions join the 49 brands introduced earlier this year for the spring/summer season. Currently, the retailer stocks around 650 brands.

The business also decided to beef up its focus on homewares in April, pledging “bold investments” in its Home own brand. This push included the launch of bi-annual magazine Foundation, the inaugural issue of which was posted to more than 250,000 customers.

John Lewis is set to launch a “major exclusive partnership” with food lifestyle brand Deliciously Ella, while the retailer’s Bluewater store in Kent will see the rollout of new shop-in-shop concept The Emporium to expand its gifting range.

The company is supporting its growth agenda with a host of new hires. Anna Braithwaite joins the retailer on 1 October as chief customer officer. Formerly clothing and home marketing director at Marks & Spencer, Braithwaite will lead on brand and marketing across all channels and replaces Charlotte Lock, who departed in January. 

Starting on the same day is Dom McBrien, a former marketer who has been appointed to the newly created role of chief digital and omnichannel officer to help John Lewis realise its “significant omnichannel ambitions”.