BHS returns to fashion with online clothing launch, plans major expansion

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Oct 28, 2016

The BHS brand has re-entered the clothing sector in the UK. The brand has added fashion to its BHS.com website a month after the e-commerce site launched.

The collection debuts with a number of men's and womenswear items and there are plans to significantly ramp up the number of pieces in the future with a kidswear line based on licensed character products set to debut on November 11.

Womenswear categories available in the initial collection include dresses, skirts, trousers and sleepwear. Other categories to be added in the next few weeks include knitwear, jeans, further sleepwear and slippers.

Menswear items at launch include long and short sleeve T-shirts, jeans and trousers, sleepwear and slippers, with knitwear, coats and jackets being added next month.

Buying director Sara Bradley said the collection is “very tight but we will be adding collections regularly to expand the offer including… women’s day to evening party wear.”

The launch includes on-trend pieces such as a 1960s-inspired checked shift dress at £30 but selected best-selling items that the old BHS sold have also been continued through to the new business. These include the 'mix and match’ tailoring range in womenswear.

Bradley said the spring/summer 2017 offer “will broaden significantly and will have an emphasis on modern simplicity, as well as key trends such as new nautical, with a focus on shirting and stripes.”

The BHS retail chain collapsed this summer and ownership of the BHS name was acquired by its international franchisee, Qatar-based Al Mana Group. Since relaunching at the end of September, the site has rolled out more lines to build momentum in the UK retail market.

It launched its second Christmas range, following the successful rollout of the first wave, on October 20, and also added kitchen and dining ranges, featuring electricals, crockery, bakeware, kitchen utensils, glassware and cookware.