What: John Lewis is launching Sports & Wellness departments that combine sportswear, wearables, recovery, AI-powered fitness and expert services.
Why it is important: John Lewis’s investment highlights the shift from category-based merchandising to goal-led shopping journeys that combine advice, digital access and local engagement.
John Lewis is launching a new Sports & Wellness concept that brings sportswear, footwear, wearable technology, recovery, AI-powered fitness and expert services into one destination. The multi-million-pound investment is part of the retailer’s wider £800 million transformation programme and will roll out across Oxford Street, Liverpool, Cheadle and Glasgow. Each department spans around 5,000 sq ft and is organised around activities such as running, training and outdoor pursuits rather than traditional product categories. The aim is to support customers shopping around fitness goals, whether training for a marathon, taking up Hyrox or building a healthier lifestyle. The offer includes brands such as Nike, Brooks, Patagonia, Garmin, Oura, Whoop, Therabody, Peloton and NordicTrack. Services include free gait analysis, specialist footwear advice and MagicAI’s intelligent fitness mirror, which provides personalised training, rep counting and form correction. Monthly “Jog Lewis” run clubs will also connect customers with local running communities, product testing and expert advice.
IADS Notes: John Lewis’s Sports & Wellness concept reflects the rapid convergence of fitness, wellness, technology and community inside department store retail. John Lewis is rolling out the concept across Oxford Street, Liverpool, Cheadle and Glasgow, combining sportswear, footwear, wearables, recovery, AI-powered fitness, expert services and run clubs in one destination. Ian Jindal’s June 2026 analysis of the “health hub economy” showed how fitness, wellness, technology and community are becoming connected retail ecosystems where health drives loyalty, data and commerce. WWD’s May 2026 coverage of Harvey Nichols’ wellness floor similarly showed luxury retailers integrating Pilates, treatments, nutrition and holistic health into stores to drive footfall and differentiation. Retail Week reported in November 2025 that Flannels’ Leeds flagship had added a premium health and fitness club combining performance, recovery, activewear and local community engagement. Modaes’ January 2026 coverage of El Corte Inglés’ Puerta del Sol sports destination also showed how department stores are using sports, technical apparel, footwear and major brand shop-in-shops to attract active-lifestyle customers.

John Lewis’new sports and wellness departments

What: John Lewis is launching its biggest beauty advent calendar yet, worth £1,160 and available first to MyJL Beauty members.
Why it is important: The launch shows how department stores are using beauty calendars to drive loyalty, early festive demand and premium brand discovery.
John Lewis is launching its biggest beauty advent calendar to date, with a stated value of £1,160 and a retail price of £250. Available to preview from 3 August, it will be offered first through app pre-orders for MyJL Beauty members, before wider member availability and general sale in September.  The calendar contains 41 products across 25 drawers, with more than half in full size. Brands include Fenty Beauty, Elemis, Trinny London, Aveda, Dermalogica, Jo Loves, Medik8, Sisley, La Mer and Charlotte Tilbury. For the first time, the calendar also includes beauty tech, with a FOREO UFO mini worth £129. One in 41 customers will receive a mystery voucher, with prizes including a Shark tool and a Clarins spa treatment.
John Lewis is also launching its first 12-day fragrance advent calendar, priced at £99 and worth £305, featuring brands such as Memo Paris, KILIAN PARIS, Frederic Malle and Essential Parfums.
IADS Notes: John Lewis’s 2026 beauty advent calendar builds on a clear strategy of using beauty as a loyalty, discovery and premium-value engine. In September 2025, Fashion Network reported that John Lewis’s previous beauty advent calendar used high-value curation, early loyalty access, surprise prizes, reusable packaging and premium brands to drive seasonal excitement, with searches for beauty advent calendars up 50%. The 2026 edition extends that model through MyJL Beauty app pre-orders, a higher stated value and the first inclusion of beauty tech. This fits John Lewis’s wider beauty push: in April 2026, a Press Release described the launch of MyJL Beauty rewards, exclusive Skin Cupid shop-in-shops, curated boxes, expert advice and omnichannel engagement, while Drapers reported in May 2026 that loyalty, events and advisory services were being used to deepen customer relationships. The strategy also builds on the August 2025 transformation of John Lewis’s Liverpool beauty hall, covered by The Retail Bulletin, where experiential spaces, premium brands, Fenty Beauty, service-led retail and digital integration repositioned beauty as a growth category. More broadly, Glossy’s November 2025 analysis of US department stores showed how luxury brands, immersive services and advanced technology are reshaping beauty retail.

John Lewis announces its biggest beauty advent calendar, worth £1,160

What: Manor is using its Locarno store and festival partnership to combine cinema, gastronomy, VIP access and cultural brand-building.
Why it is important: The activation shows how department stores can use cultural sponsorship, hospitality and loyalty benefits to deepen customer engagement beyond shopping.
Manor is celebrating the 79th Locarno Film Festival through its long-standing partnership with the event, combining cultural sponsorship with exclusive customer experiences. From 5 to 15 August 2026, the retailer will support the festival through two main initiatives: the Pardo d’Onore Manor and a premium hospitality package for Manor World Mastercard holders. The Pardo d’Onore Manor recognises major figures in international cinema. In 2026, the award will be presented to American director Darren Aronofsky on 14 August at Piazza Grande. During the festival, Aronofsky will also present two of his films, “The Fountain” and “Mother!”. Manor is also using its Locarno department store, located near Piazza Grande, as part of the festival experience. Mastercard holders can book a package for two people at CHF 290, including an aperitif, dinner on the Pardo terrace overlooking Piazza Grande, red-carpet access, reserved VIP seats and the evening film screening. The initiative links cinema, hospitality, loyalty and lifestyle positioning.
IADS Notes: Manor’s Locarno Film Festival activation fits a broader strategy of using culture, hospitality and flagship experiences to position the retailer beyond conventional shopping. In February 2026, a Press Release on the Manor Cultural Prize showed how the retailer uses long-term cultural patronage, exhibitions and institutional partnerships to strengthen brand identity and community ties. Manor’s June 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign similarly demonstrated how major cultural and sporting moments can become multi-channel retail activations through merchandise, creative collaborations and themed experiences. The hospitality dimension is reinforced by Manor’s April 2026 partnership with Michelin chef Danny Khezzar in Geneva, where food became a driver of footfall, engagement and destination appeal. In January 2026, 24heures reported that Manor and the City of Lausanne were turning the department store façade into a public-facing cultural platform through artist-led installations. More broadly, Manor’s March 2026 CHF 200 million investment plan showed that flagship modernisation, experiential retail, digital innovation and differentiated shopping environments are central to its growth strategy.

Manor is celebrating the Locarno Film Festival with hospitality experiences for Manor Mastercard holders