WELL DONE - Debenhams - CONGRATULATIONS

Debenhams

 

TODAY'S TRADING FIGURES SHOWING INCREASED PROFITS AND EXPANSION PLANS FOR THE FUTURE WITH  17 MORE STORES HERE IN THE UK WITH ALL THE EXTRA EMPLOYMENT THAT WILL FOLLOW AUGERS WELL AND HAS TO BE GOOD NEWS .

 

THEY'RE ALSO PLANNING MORE FRANCHISES ABROAD HAVING OPENED RECENTLY  IN GEORGIA 

 

CONGRATULATIONS

THE SHARE PRICE REFLECTS THE SENTIMENTS OF THE MARKET AND DEBENHAM'S PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.

 

 WATCH THEIR RAPID ACCERATION OF THEIR ONLINE ACTIVITIES

 Thames  Watermen from Doggett's Coat and Badge with model wearing  Katherine Hamnett hooded smock and skirt from DEBENHAMS with Tower Bridge as a backdrop in 1975

 I'VE RECENTLY WALKED THROUGH DEBENHAMS IN OXFORD STREET - LONDON AND TO A MODERATELY INTUITIVE EYE SENSED A FEW DIFFERENCES TO WHAT I REMEMBERED BEFORE.

 

THERE WAS A LIVELY BUZZ IN THE WAY ALL SECTORS PRESENTED THEIR MERCHANDISE AND ONE GOT THE IMPRESSION THAT THEIR LOYAL AND NEW CUSTOMERS WERE IMPORTANT TO THEM. 

 

AMAZING AS TO WHAT A VISUAL MESSAGE CAN TRANSPOSE INTO OUR  SUBLIMINAL THINKING - IT RELAXES US AND WE GET THE FEELING THAT WE MIGHT BE SEEN AS SPECIAL.

 

IT ALSO PERSUADES US TO VIEW THE PRODUCTS IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND WE ACTUALLY NOTICE THE QUALITY OF THE FABRICS, THE DESIGNS AND THAT ALL IMPORTANT ELEMENT "THE PRICE"

Debenhams Oxford Street in 1980

  THE GENERAL MERCHANDISE IS SPOT ON TO THE DEBENHAMS' CONSUMER AND WITH THEIR EVER ADDING NEW INTRODUCTIONS  INCLUDING HOUSE BRANDS AND THEIR VERY SUCCESSFUL "DESIGNERS AT DEBENHAMS"  RANGES THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN A FILIP OF LATE WITH THE LIKES OF ROKSANDA ILINCIC, JONATHAN SAUNDERS, PREEN AND JONATHAN KELSEY THERE IS A CREATIVE AND ACTIVITY BUZZ THAT HAS KEPT THEM AHEAD OF SOME OF THE OTHERS AND IN THEIR PARTICULAR NICHE AND FOR THEIR SIZE OF SOME 170 STORES THEY'RE FAIRING VERY WELL WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THEIR SHARE PRICE WHICH AT CLOSE TODAY WAS 111.50p. 

POSSIBLY THEIR MODEL, THE REDUCTION OF WHAT PREVIOUSLY WERE HIDEOUS DEBTS AND THEIR FUTURE EXPANSION PLANS BOTH OVERSEAS AND ONLINE ARE NOW MORE UNDERSTANDABLE TO THE 'CITY ANALYSTS'?

1991 Debenhams Magazine

You might remember Stuart Rose who at one point was head of Debenhams-  Home Sector taking over from Ken Marks ,they both at different times being with  M&S. I had not long before introduced The Country Diary Collection in the early 80's and Stuart when meeting me subsequently always mentions the Country Diary which isn't a bad introduction because of its multi product offer success in the Home sector.

Stuart moved on to Argos/Home Retail, then Booker/Iceland and then was thankfully parachuted in to M&S to fend off the bidding at 400p per share from his old chum Philip Green who appeared to rule the remainder of the High Street by owning Arcadia - Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge et al.

Now in Stuart's  alleged retirement I'm waiting to see where turns up next, his pledge being that what ever role he accepts he wishes to have some fun!

2006

Belinda Earle ex MD of Debenhams with whom I worked on a number of deals related to both House Brands and "Designers at Debenhams" which included St George by Duffer, Jeff Banks, JCB and Matthew Williamson. Belinda moved on most successfully to Jaeger and had left this operation by the time  the Group which by then also included Aquascutum and  before its recent most inglorious implosion earlier this year!

There's always a silver lining for the innocent and Belinda has a major role now at M&S subsequent to the departure of Kate Bostock who lo and behold has now turned up at ASOS!

Its called musical chairs

ALL THE IMAGES BELOW WERE TAKEN FROM OUR ARCHIVES AND FROM 1975 T0 1995

All images used on the Leslie Creasey Blog are from my hand clipped archive documenting 35 years of Style and Design media.  For all enquiries please contact leslie@charismatic-brands.com.