Is John Lewis the right fit for Topshop’s UK roll-out?

As reported yesterday, Topshop is to return to the UK high street on a major scale through 32 John Lewis stores from February 2026, while Topman will also be carried by six of its stores. But is John Lewis really the right fit?

It’s fair to say that in its heyday a Topshop shopper would not normally be one to walk through the doors of their local John Lewis store in search of their latest fashion fix, but then John Lewis is clearly on a mission to attract younger customers.

As Peter Ruis, Managing Director of John Lewis, commented: "Bringing Topshop and Topman back to high streets across the UK is a landmark moment, and we are thrilled to be their only nationwide partner.

"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."

The launch will introduce a fresh in-store experience that blends Topshop and Topman’s fashion-forward identity with the quality and service customers expect from John Lewis, however much of a mismatch it may at first seem.

Richard Hyman, retail analyst and Partner at Aria Intelligent Solutions, tells TheIndustry.fashion: "Topshop’s collaboration with John Lewis is a surprise and, at first glance, they are not an obvious fit. In the fashion adoption continuum, the bastion of Middle England retail would naturally figure much later than Topshop, the definer of trends.

"But John Lewis wants to be much more fashionable and contemporary. It wants to bolster its credentials with younger consumers. Meanwhile, Topshop’s core customers from its heyday are now more mature, very much in the family formation stage of life: the typical John Lewis shopper. This is an ambitious partnership that could deliver new customer cohorts to both brands."

Tom Ljubojevic, Apparel Analyst at GlobalData, is not so sure that the new wholesale partnership is right for either party. He commented: "This choice of wholesale partner does pose the question of who Topshop and Topman are targeting with their return. The strategy so far has suggested they are targeting a millennial or older Gen Z customer, who will have bought from them in-store before they closed and will be excited about their return.

"This has been evidenced by the nostalgia-driven marketing and announcement of past ambassador Cara Delevingne as the new face of Topshop, as well as the return of classic styles like its ‘Joni’ skinny jeans. The pricing and styling are reminiscent of competitor ZARA, and the new edits and product selection show its trend focus, again suggesting they are targeting fashion conscious consumers in their late 20s to 30s that were past customers.

"In contrast, while John Lewis does have a wide customer base, its core shopper is typically older than who the brands seem to be targeting. Younger shoppers who did not previously buy from Topshop and Topman are unlikely to discover the new range through John Lewis, especially since the marketing campaign surrounding the relaunch has been underwhelming so far.

"Therefore, the partnership may struggle to reach its full potential unless the brands can attract new consumers into John Lewis stores through more engaging campaigns."

The jury is out, but it’s highly likely that both John Lewis and Topshop, which is now under joint ownership between ASOS (25%) and Bestseller’s Heartland investment arm (75%), will do everything in their power to make the new partnership work and re-establish Topshop as a cultural force while winning over a new generation of shoppers, as well as pleasing its original customers.

The wheels are, of course, now well in motion for Topshop to once again succeed, with the recent launch of a dedicated new website, a triumphant catwalk show staged in Trafalgar Square last month and a new partnership with Liberty in London which also launched in-store in August.

In a more upbeat tone, GlobalData’s Tom Ljubojevic, added: "Launching in John Lewis’ stores next year will allow Topshop and Topman to benefit from the department store’s significant presence across the UK, helping to increase the brands’ visibility and customer awareness.

"This expands on the announcement last month of Topshop and Topman’s partnership with heritage London department store Liberty. However, with this initial return to physical retail limited to Liberty’s singular location, it will have far less consumer impact.

"A place in John Lewis’ stores will allow the brands to showcase their new lines to customers more effectively, as well as entice new shoppers who may have been unaware of their relaunch."

John Lewis stores set to carry Topshop from 3 February 2026 include Oxford Street and Westfield White City in London, Bluewater in Kent, Kingston in Surrey, the Trafford Centre in Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Leeds, Nottingham, Leicester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Cardiff.