Editors' Top Reads: News from John Lewis, REOME, British Beauty Council and more...
Here are some of this week’s news and features highlights handpicked by TheIndustry.beauty team.
John Lewis launches beauty-led store makeovers as part of £800m investment
According to John Lewis boss Peter Ruis, the "buzz is back" at the beloved British department store. With the buzz comes the beauty.
As part of an £800 million investment in its stores, the business is placing beauty front and centre with stores in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, and Cheadle, Greater Manchester, set to receive brand new beauty halls. The £6.5 million Oxford Street store upgrade, revealed this week, also included a new larger beauty hall and a dedicated fragrance space.
It’s truly encouraging for all of us to see that in order for a store such as John Lewis to be successful, it needs to have a great beauty offer. It goes to prove the power of this category in today’s retail market. And it’s also truly encouraging to see John Lewis turn the corner. Let’s hope that buzz turns into greater sales and profit.
Lauretta Roberts, Co-founder, CEO and Editor-in-Chief.
REOME secures over £1m funding to drive global growth
I remember writing about the launch of REOME at the beginning of last year. A biotech-powered skincare brand designed to target stressed skin, the business was founded by beauty editor and acupuncturist Joanna Ellner, and it's pleasing to see that it is now targeting further growth.
REOME has secured over £1.1 million in its first-ever seed fundraise, led by Tom Singh’s family office, Rianta Capital. The new funding will allow the prestige beauty brand to accelerate growth, both locally and internationally.
It comes as the British brand celebrates continued growth since launching exclusively at Space NK in January 2023. Also available at Liberty, Moda Operandi, Formula Fig, and selected luxury stores in the UK and Europe, further expansion is now planned for Australia, Europe, and the US.
However, the expansion plans aren't just geographical. REOME is also set to reveal its biggest launch to date in January next year, featuring a "first-to-market" biotech innovation from Debut. I look forward to finding out more!
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
The British Beauty Council launches fund to 'support extraordinary and diverse beauty founders'
This week marks British Beauty Week, which is taking place from 23-27 October. Running under the theme of 'A Beauty Industry that Looks Like You', the event is designed to highlight the importance of representation and inclusion in British beauty.
So, unsurprisingly, the British Beauty Council made its mark in this week's headlines with projects and announcements that reflect this year's theme. Starting off strong, the council named singer-songwriter and beauty industry entrepreneur Rita Ora as its new Global Ambassador as it looks to strengthen its global presence.
It then went on to reveal that Medik8, the B Corp-certified British skincare brand, stepped into the role of Patron in the hope of driving "positive change across the beauty industry".
With Rita Ora and Medik8 in tow, the British Beauty Council later announced the launch of a new fund, in collaboration with London and New York-based venture capital firm Venrex, to support diverse beauty founders with a bold vision.
Not to name-drop, but Venrex has a history of supporting leading beauty brands such as Charlotte Tilbury, VIEVE, and more. The winner of the new fund may be the next problem-solving cosmetic product, the supply chain time-saver, or the planet-friendly packaging solution of the future. Are we on the cusp of Britain's next Charlotte Tilbury?
These initiatives look to support Britain's booming industry as well as the diverse talents already within its ecosystem or those trying to break into it - which is what the British Beauty Council is all about.
Chloé Burney, Senior News & Features Writer.
Highlights from TheIndustry.beauty LIVE: Next Generation Digital Commerce
It's certainly been a busy week here at TheIndustry.fashion and TheIndustry.beauty, having held two insightful events.
The second, TheIndustry.beauty LIVE: Next Generation Digital Commerce, took place on Thursday, welcoming leading brands and retailers such as Debenhams, Diptyque, L'Occitane, Clarins, Cloud Nine, Neal's Yard Remedies, Trinny London, Jo Loves, Revlon, Space NK, and more with meaningful advice and insights on the developments that will take their e-commerce to the next level, from social media to post purchase.
Hosted in partnership with logistics specialists Bleckmann and sponsored by e-commerce leaders BigCommerce, this engaging, high-energy event invited beauty industry professionals to learn from brands, retailers and industry experts from the likes of The Inkey List, Unilever, Grown Alchemist and Indu, amongst others, about new advances in the fields of e-commerce and digital marketing, what's next for influencers, onsite experience, enhanced delivery, and new retail channels to drive your business forward in 2025.
Missed out? Sign up to TheIndustry.fashion's daily newsletter to be the first to hear about future events. However, in the meantime, here are some highlights and key learnings from this week's event.
Sophie Smith, News Editor & Senior Writer.
