Debenhams (online retailer) explained

Debenhams Brands Ltd
Type:Online retailer
Trading Name:Debenhams
Foundation:2021
Location:49/51 Dale Street, Manchester, England, UK
Key People:Daniel Finley, Chief Executive Officer
John Lyttle, Group Chief Executive
Industry:Fashion online retail
Beauty store
Area Served:United Kingdom
Owner:Boohoo
Parent:Debenhams Brands Ltd

Debenhams (formerly Debenhams.com), a trading name of Debenhams Brands Ltd, is an online retailer owned by Boohoo.com. The company was formed in 2021 after Boohoo purchased the website operations and rights to the name of the department store group Debenhams, which had entered liquidation.

Boohoo purchased the name and associated website operations from the administrators of Debenhams for £55 million in January 2021.[1] On 12 April 2021, Boohoo relaunched the Debenhams website with a new full range of products and brands, mostly brands owned by Boohoo.[2] Debenhams' remaining stores continued to trade separately to the website operation until their closure in May that year.[3]

On 16 June 2021, Boohoo's Group Chief Executive John Lyttle told The Times that some beauty brands had refused to supply products to Debenhams unless it had a physical store presence, thus Boohoo planned to open one Debenhams-branded beauty store outside London.[4] [5]

In December 2021, Debenhams.com Beauty opened in the Manchester Arndale shopping centre, operated by Boohoo Group.[6] The store was launched to meet a number of contractual deals with brands Boohoo stocks and as a rival to Next's beauty halls[7] and Harrods' H Beauty chain.[8] No further physical stores are expected to be opened.[9]

Notes and References

  1. News: 25 January 2021. Boohoo buys Debenhams brand and website for £55m. en-GB. BBC News. 25 January 2021.
  2. Web site: 12 April 2021: Frequently Asked Questions. Debenhams. 25 April 2021.
  3. News: After 242 years it's goodbye, last Debenhams to close on May 15. Davey. James. 5 May 2021. Reuters. 5 May 2021.
  4. Web site: 16 June 2021. Boohoo's Debenhams beauty store a 'savvy' move. 20 June 2021. Drapers. en.
  5. News: Armstrong. Ashley. 15 June 2021. Boohoo to reopen Debenhams — but just one shop. The Times. en. 20 June 2021. 0140-0460.
  6. Web site: Boohoo opens doors to “Debenhams Beauty” store - Retail Gazette. www.retailgazette.co.uk.
  7. Web site: Next to create new chain of upmarket beauty halls. 7 May 2020. The Guardian.
  8. Web site: Debenhams has reopened and shoppers are getting tickets to go inside. Rachel. Pugh. 2 December 2021. Manchester Evening News.
  9. News: Butler. Sarah. 3 December 2021. Debenhams returns to high street with Manchester beauty store. The Guardian.