A beloved British high street department store is back – with its parent company hailing the turnaround of the brand it brought out of administration three years ago.
Debenhams was bought by Boohoo in 2022, and now says a ‘complete overhaul’ is complete, and the brand will be used as a ‘blueprint for the wider turnaround of the group’.
The Boohoo brand will continue, as will other fashion brands owned by the group, such as Karen Millen and PrettyLittleThing, but the name will now be Debenhams.
Group chief executive Dan Finley – who was promoted to the top job in November 2024, having previously led the Debenhams brand – said: ‘I’m super proud of the turnaround of Debenhams.
‘Bought out of administration with no future, no stock, no staff, but here we are three years later with a thriving British business.
‘Debenhams is back. The future is so bright for Debenhams.’
Debenhams sells thousands of brands, ranging from Oasis, Dorothy Perkins and more, all of which were snapped up by Boohoo around 2020.
But the brand confirmed today it won’t be opening any physical stores, but will open pop-up events, including one at Cheltenham this week.
Debenhams, which once had 150 stores across the UK, went into administration in 2019, as it struggled to keep up to date with changes in consumer trends.
More and more consumers began moving away from traditional department store models, but the business performed better in smaller towns with fewer shopping options.
The business started as a single shop in London in 1778 and grew to become one of the UK’s most well-known department stores.
In a full-year trading update also on Tuesday, the group said sales at the firm fell 16% to £1.2 billion in the 12 months to February, down from £1.5 billion the previous year despite a strong performance at Debenhams.
Revenues at Debenhams jumped to £204.6 million from £186 million the previous year.
Its youth brands, including Boohoo, saw sales tumble to £947.3 million from £1.2 billion in 2023-24.
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