Very.co.uk eyes own label fashion growth

VERY.CO.UK, the £850m turnover online department store operated by Shop Direct, is targeting accelerated growth in the UK fashion market by launching an own label clothing brand, ‘V by Very’.

With lines across womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, V by Very mixes seasonal pieces with distinctive, must-have fashion essentials, and is already available on Very.co.uk as well as Littlewoods.com, which is also operated by Shop Direct.  

The new brand is designed to appeal to Very.co.uk’s core customers, and will continue to be supported by existing children’s clothing label Ladybird and plus-size fashion brand So Fabulous.

V by Very’s new womenswear collection – which will be formally unveiled to consumers in September alongside new menswear and childrenswear ranges – will include lines across women’s clothing, footwear and accessories.

With prices ranging from £12 up to £200, it will provide trend-led capsule collections focusing on head-to-toe dressing in sizes eight to 24.

The womenswear collection has been designed and curated using customer insight by in-house design and buying teams specifically for Very.co.uk’s 25-44 year old female target customer.  

Alex Baldock, chief executive at Shop Direct, said: “V by Very is the natural next step for Very.co.uk. We’re building a world class online department store; now we have an own label fashion brand to match our ambition.

“We’ve created this new collection – and this new brand – alongside our customer. She’s told us what she wants and by listening to her, V by Very can become a major force in British fashion. We’re backing it big time.”

Matt Dixon, group product director at Shop Direct, added: “We saw a clear opportunity to create a strong own brand that recognises and serves the many roles our customers play day-to-day.

“We’re not only tracking the latest trends and catwalk styles, but everyday we’re listening to our customers’ views and looking at how they shop; creating a data-driven fashion brand that is truly relevant for them. It’s this relentless focus on relevance that will help to create new opportunities to expand womenswear, menswear and childrenswear, and help V by Very become a success.”