Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
US home furnishings retailer West Elm, a member of the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. portfolio of brands, will open a shop-in-shop in department store group John Lewis’ flagship store on Oxford Street in London next month.
The 821sq ft shop-in-shop will make its debut on September 3, following the launch of a branded shop online at johnlewis.com. The West Elm shop-in-shop is part of John Lewis’ multi-million pound home department makeover and represents the first time West Elm products will be available outside of the brand’s own stores and websites.
Jim Brett, president of West Elm, said: “John Lewis’ new home experience on Oxford Street offers the largest assortment of home products in any store in the UK, making it a true destination for designers and customers from around the country. We’re thrilled for West Elm to be the only branded shop-in-shop included in the space. This is the first time we’ve done anything like this, and it’s an incredible opportunity for West Elm to work in tandem with one of the UK’s largest retailers to quickly reach new customers and grow our business.”
Christine Kasoulis, buying director home for John Lewis, said: “We’re proud and delighted to be able to partner with West Elm to bring their uniquely-styled furniture and accessories to the UK High Street. We’re confident that John Lewis customers will embrace the West Elm proposition and have allocated 821sq ft in our new Oxford Street flagship home department in order to really bring the West Elm aesthetic to life.”
The West Elm shop-in-shop will be situated on thw third floor of the Oxford Street location and will showcase five lifestyle rooms. The collection includes furniture and accessories for the living room, dining room and bedroom, as well as accessories and accent pieces. Textiles including decorative pillows and a collection of Fair Trade Certified rugs. West Elm is known for collaborating with independent designers to create unique collections and the John Lewis shop-in-shop will include a chair designed by John Vogel and dinnerware from Potters Workshop, (both South Africa-based), as well as a chair from UK-based designer James Harrison.
Headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, West Elm operates 77 retail stores in the US, Australia, Canada and now the UK. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is a specialty retailer of products for the home, representing eight merchandise strategies. Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm, PBteen, Williams-Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, and Mark and Graham.
