John Lewis get new trading director from Accessorize

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jul 27, 2021

Department stores chain John Lewis reportedly has a new trading director who will join the retailer in mid-September.

Retail Week revealed on Tuesday that the company has appointed Accessorize’s MD Kathleen Mitchell to the role. She’s been running the Monsoon Accessorize-owned chain since October last year having previously been branding director at the label.

Earlier roles include time spent at beauty giant L’Oréal and the MD’s post at fashion tech start-up Stella & Dot

It’s believed she’ll be tasked with reinvigorating the business both in-store and online across its key categories such as home, fashion, beauty, and electricals — and her success at turning around Accessorize should hold her in good stead here.

John Lewis’s executive director Pippa Wicks said she has “a huge amount of experience in modernising retail brands” and that’s something John Lewis needs at present as it seeks a way to kick-start growth post-pandemic.