John Lewis is set to broaden its fashion offer this autumn by introducing 100 additional menswear and womenswear labels, a move designed to lift clothing sales as the partnership presses on with a wide-ranging turnaround.

The department store chain already carries roughly 650 brands but plans to weave in fresh names across price points, from luxury heritage house Mulberry, which is supplying an exclusive range of 25 bags and accessories, to Japanese outdoor specialist Snowpeak and Newcastle designer Nigel Cabourn’s parkas. New premium labels Akyn, By Malene Birger and Iro will also arrive on shop floors and online.

Peter Ruis, who took charge of the department stores last year, said the strategy is about giving shoppers “even more reasons to shop in our brilliant stores”. He has earmarked about £800 million for refurbishing outlets, hiring extra sales staff and modernising sister grocery chain Waitrose.

The fashion push is central to ambitions to more than double annual clothing revenue from £1.2 billion to £2.5 billion. “The sky is the limit,” Ruis told The Telegraph as he outlined plans to shake off the retailer’s static 1.5 per cent clothing market share. Alongside new brand partnerships, John Lewis will roll out its largest ever own-label cashmere collection, targeting a boost of at least 20 per cent in sales of the fibre this year.

Rachel Morgans, director of fashion at John Lewis, said customers would see “carefully curating a premium quality range that offers something different”. She added: “When it comes to brands, we’re not chasing numbers but focusing on those that appeal to our customers and offer something new”.

John Lewis hopes the combined effect of store upgrades, broader assortments and targeted own-brand development will restore momentum to its fashion division and reinforce its credentials on the British high street.

---