John Lewis accelerates ambition to be ‘the home of premium brands’ with launch of curated supplier model and Russell & Bromley launch
New supplier platform designed to accelerate launch of new brands
Luxury footwear specialist among first to join, in a partnership of two iconic British brands
Move gives customers greater choice and access to the latest styles from trusted brands
John Lewis is taking another major step forward in its ambition to be the trusted home for premium brands, by investing in a new cutting-edge supplier platform designed to bring a wider range of hand-picked labels to its customers at speed.
The retailer is marking the launch by welcoming luxury footwear specialist Russell & Bromley as one of its first partners on the new system. The move signals a significant evolution in how John Lewis works with suppliers, allowing it to be more agile in response to customers for in-demand brands.
The platform, powered by market-leading tech firm Mirakl, enables John Lewis to accelerate the listing and sales of new brands online and via its app. The direct-shipping model bypasses the need for John Lewis to buy, store, and distribute stock, dramatically cutting the time it takes to bring new products to market. For customers, it means a greater selection of carefully chosen brands will become available more quickly through johnlewis.com.
Rachel Morgans, Director of Fashion at John Lewis, said: “Our ambition is to be the definitive home for premium brands in the UK. This new platform is a huge step on that journey, giving us the agility to bring newness to our customers at speed. The launch of Russell & Bromley is the perfect example of this strategy in action and demonstrates the calibre of brands we are attracting.”
Andrew Bromley, CEO of Russell & Bromley, comments: ”We're thrilled to be partnering with John Lewis as we expand our carefully selected stockist portfolio across the UK & Ireland, and even more pleased to be part of their plans to enhance their already excellent customer experience. The parallels between Russell & Bromley and John Lewis when it comes to customer service and quality make them an obvious choice for us, and we're delighted to be able to bring our iconic Russell & Bromley craftsmanship and designs to their customers.”
This follows on from the recent strengthening of John Lewis’ omnichannel capability with the rollout of ‘deliver from store’, enabling customers’ online orders to be fulfilled from store stock, and the current rapid delivery pilot with Uber Eats. Over twenty John Lewis stores are now part of the ‘deliver from store’ programme, resulting in increased product availability and sales.
Adrien Nussenbaum, co-founder and co-CEO of Mirakl added: “In a highly competitive retail environment, customers want more choice and flexibility than ever. John Lewis is positioning itself for significant growth in the years ahead, maintaining its position as an iconic British retailer while also modernising and becoming more agile. They are giving customers access to an expanding range of curated brands and products through a retailer they trust, and we’re excited to partner with them.”
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Notes to editors
For more information please contact:
John Lewis: gillian.stark@johnlewis.co.uk
Russell & Bromley: Yasmin.Afshar@russellandbromley.co.uk
Mirakl: louise.melis@mirakl.com
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK. The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, suppliers and communities. Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better - all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch. John Lewis operates 34 shops across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 315 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 47 convenience branches, and another 29 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, and specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine.
About Russell & Bromley
Russell & Bromley is the destination luxury fashion footwear & accessories brand for the everyday. A leading force in British fashion with over 40 stores operating across the UK and Ireland. Combining European craftsmanship with a British glint in the eye, Russell & Bromley offers iconic style and on-trend design that empowers people to feel exceptional every day. Founded in Lewes in 1880 by the Bromley family, today the business remains family owned, operated and proudly independent.
About Mirakl
Mirakl is the leading provider of eCommerce software solutions. Mirakl's suite of solutions provides enterprises with a transformative way to drive significant growth and efficiency in their online business. Since 2012, Mirakl has been pioneering the platform economy, empowering retail and B2B enterprises with the most advanced, secure and scalable technology to digitize and expand product assortment through marketplace and dropship, improve efficiency in supplier catalog management and payments, personalize shopping experiences, and boost profits through retail media. Mirakl is trusted by 450+ industry-leading businesses worldwide. For more information: www.mirakl.com.