Department store giants rebrand

Two department store giants, House of Fraser and the John Lewis Partnership, are implementing rebranding exercises.

DH Evans of London’s Oxford Street is to be renamed House of Fraser, the name of its parent company, from October, while Tyrrell & Green in Southampton has moved to a new location nearby, re-branded as John Lewis Southampton.

Costing £17m, House of Fraser in Oxford Street will be given a complete refurbishment and a new retail format, similar to that of existing stores at Reading and Bluewater in Kent. Other sites in Guildford, Manchester and Cardiff are to be refurbished and all future stores will be named House of Fraser.

Michael Kent, partner of design consultancy Kinnersley Kent Design, which worked on the re-designs of DH Evans in Oxford Street and House of Fraser at Reading and Bluewater, says, “The format at Reading is the benchmark and what we aim towards, but the Oxford Street branch was an existing building, an existing branch and therefore has individual requirements.

“Each department at Oxford Street has something new to it and we have evolved the brand and applied it where appropriate.”

The rebranding of John Lewis’ Tyrrell & Green was prompted by the need for a consistent corporate image. The next in the John Lewis Partnership portfolio to change its name as part of an ongoing £300m makeover of the 25-strong chain is expected to be Jessop & Son in Nottingham.

Provincial stores will be renamed on approval of partners and all future stores will be called John Lewis. Peter Jones in London’s Sloane Square will definitely keep its own identity, according to a company spokesman.