EXCLUSIVE Industry experts have weighed in on the rebrand of Boohoo to Debenhams, with most of them agreeing that you can change the name but the reputation remains
The rebrand of fast fashion chain Boohoo into Debenhams has been roundly slammed by leading industry experts. When Debenhams shuttered four years ago, many had thought they had seen the last of it.
However, the name was bought by Boohoo for £55million in 2021 and turned into an online marketplace within a year.
And while Boohoo has been going through difficulties to do with its own reputation, Debenhams has remained beloved by Brits.
And now it’s back properly…in place of the Boohoo name. The announcement of the rebrand was made earlier this week, with bosses claiming it would help them battle rivals such as Next and ASOS.
However, it has been met with ridicule by pretty much every industry expert spoken to by the Daily Star this week, not least the chief strategy officer for MullenLowe – a brandsocial agency – Ben Shaw.
He told us: “You can almost hear the logic made by consultants in Charles Tyrwhitt suits ‘Let’s use our iconic British high street heritage to make up for our poor fast fashion creds’ … ‘yes perfect, and our fast fashion, trend following digital proposition to make up for our out-of-date, aging fashion perception’
“Followed by high fives all round – what makes sense in a boardroom where investments need to fit neatly on a chart don’t always make sense in consumers heads. This all feels very disconnected from Boohoo’s younger audience who are shopping on price and hyper-cultural trends.
“This isn’t a rebrand, it’s a functional distribution answer that has chucked any previous brand equity in the bin and ended up in a weird marriage of two different brands with very different audiences.
“Maybe shoppers won’t care that much, they didn’t care about the harms of fast fashion so why would a weird rebrand be any different.”
And former Debenham’s designer Jenny Allan – who now runs her own ethical Fair Trade clohthing brand Jenerous said: “One of Debenhams huge success stories was the affordable British Designer collections that they provided in collaboration with designers such as Julian MacDonald and Betty Jackson.
“The loss of Debenhams on the UK high street was huge and in my opinion Boohoo, who is known for cheap fast fashion, will fail to meet customers expectations as they trade on Debenhams strong brand reputation.”
Another former staffer, Louise Duncum, told us that the rebrand was a move born out of “necessity” but that nostalgia “won’t be enough” for the brand to move forward.
Louisa, a personal stylist and colour consultant at Weiz Styles said: “I’ve seen firsthand how consumers are increasingly seeking quality, longevity and a personal connection from brands that they can trust. Boohoo’s rebrand to Debenhams provides an opportunity to meet these expectations by elevating their offers and aligning more closely with evolving consumer preferences.
“If Boohoo successfully communicates the values of quality and versatility alongside a more personalised shopping experience, it could resonate with consumers who are looking to invest in their wardrobes thoughtfully, rather than chasing trends. This shift also aligns perfectly with the core values of personal styling, which emphasises investing in pieces that reflect personal identity and elevate confidence.
“Ultimately, the success of Boohoo’s transformation into Debenhams will depend on its ability to convincingly merge the heritage of Debenhams with a streamlined, profitable online marketplace. If done well, this move could provide the way back to the businesses success and long term growth. Only time will tell.”
The rebrand has not stopped the 200 job cuts from its Manchester office as well as the closure of its United States-based warehouse, however.
The Daily Star did reach out to Boohoo/Debenhams bosses earlier this week to address the criticism being aimed at it, but was met with silence.
Another expert, Oriona Robb – a personal stylist and retail expert – mused to the Daily Star whether or not the rebrand could see Boohoo move away from the fast fashion tag it’s always been associated with.
She said: “High-street styling is undergoing a transformation, and brands like Boohoo are realizing that longevity and styling flexibility sell just as much as micro-trends. It’s no longer just about what’s ‘in’ for the season but what holds up in a wardrobe.
“If this rebrand truly reflects a shift in design ethos, more refined tailoring, better fabric choices, or an emphasis on capsule collections then it could be a turning point for how fast fashion is styled and worn. That said, the challenge will be authenticity. Consumers and stylists alike can see through a rebrand that’s purely aesthetic.
“If Boohoo wants to capture the new high-street shopper, it’s going to have to offer more than just a refreshed logo under a heritage name; it will have to redefine what affordable, trend-led styling really means in an era of more conscious fashion choices.”
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