Can Boohoo’s rebrand solve its fast fashion woes?

In the run-up to Boohoo announcing its name change to Debenhams Group, the fashion business had battled an onslaught of media scrutiny – and we’re only halfway through the 2020s. Let’s recap this chain of events: in 2020, a Sunday Times investigation found that Boohoo suppliers in Leicester were getting paid far below the UK minimum wage and worked in unsafe conditions; a year later, an independent review commissioned by Boohoo indeed found “many failings” in its supply chain; in 2022, the CMA investigated the retailer’s environmental claims, suspecting it to be guilty of greenwashing; in 2023 Boohoo’s revenues suffered due to Shein’s boom in popularity for offering even cheaper and trendier products; just last week PrettyLittleThing attempted to reposition itself as a more “elevated” option, which was met with negative reactions from customers because the company hadn’t ceased its overreliance on polyester.

PrettyLittleThing, which is part of Boohoo’s youth brands that target a younger consumer base, is just one of many in this category that continue to struggle. Along with the name change, it was revealed that the gross market value (GMV) pre-returns of youth brands plummeted 21.8% in FY24/25 to £1.2bn. This was a blow to the company, having suffered a disappointing year in FY23/24 when the group’s GMV fell 13.3%. 

While Shein’s rising star is being blamed for Boohoo’s slow race to the bottom, as teenagers and young adults are choosing even cheaper fast fashion brands, there is another explanation: some young shoppers are pivoting more towards the resale market and smaller capsule wardrobes – rather than hoarding clothes and accessories. Could that latter trend be what’s driving Boohoo’s rebranding decision? 

Chloe Collins, head of apparel at GlobalData, shared her thoughts. She’s of the opinion that the group’s decision to drop the Boohoo name is “likely an attempt from the company to ditch the negative connotations associated with it in terms of sustainability and quality credentials.” 

However, given how poorly received PrettyLittleThing’s rebrand has been, Collins believes that the failings of this rebrand has played right into Shein’s hand. “PrettyLittleThing rebranded last week, attempting to reposition itself with a more elevated, timeless style,” she continued. “However, the reaction to this has been mostly negative, with the brand failing to justify its new higher price points with either improved quality or better environmental credentials and alienating its youngest followers who do still want trend-led styles, who now have even more reason to turn to Shein instead.”

Whether Shein is a better company is debatable, but to Boohoo’s credit, it does have a respectable name at its disposal that also happens to have outperformed its youth brands in recent history: Debenhams. While Debenhams only accounted for 28.2% of group GMV pre-returns in FY24/25, its GMV grew by 33.8% to £654m – and the group sees potential for it to become a multi-billion-pound business that is likely to overtake its youth brands. 

Having seen how marketplaces continue to outperform within the retail market – thanks to their wide range of brands and agile online operations – Collins believes that Boohoo is planning to apply this model to the rest of its business, including youth brands and Karen Millen “in the hopes of seeing similar success”. 

“Whether this pivot to the Debenhams Group is a masterstroke is yet to be seen,” Sue Benson, founder and CEO of The Behaviours Agency, said. “However, given the growing reputation of Debenhams as a value generator for shareholders, at the forefront of global digital retail as a leaner, faster and more technologically advanced business – maybe it’s possible.” 

Beyond the marketplace model, some experts believe Boohoo’s rebrand might signal a potential foray into physical retail. Moe Krimat, director of creative and strategy at Seen Studios, noted that “the Boohoo rebrand is no doubt an attempt to shift public perceptions of Boohoo – which has long been associated with fast fashion and its unfavourable connotations as the industry shifts to a more sustainable mindset. In contrast, Debenhams comes with an existing heritage – albeit perhaps still quite old-fashioned – and a well-known association with large department stores.”

Krimat further emphasised that if Boohoo were to invest in physical spaces under its new Debenhams identity, it would need to create a compelling retail experience. “Debenhams’ own stores were typically uninspiring – which ultimately led to its demise. Department stores today are grand showcases of luxury, immersive experiences, and discovery. A Boohoo retail strategy should focus on creating spaces that spotlight a purpose beyond financial transactions,” he said. Drawing inspiration from brands like Astrid & Miyu, which use its physical stores as community and experience-driven spaces, Krimat suggests Boohoo could develop a retail environment that “serves as a cultural hub for fashion, music, art, and sports.”

Warren Cowan, retail expert, founder and CEO of FoundIt!, sees the rebrand as a strategic revival. “Boohoo’s decision to breathe life back into the Debenhams brand represents more than just another business acquisition – it’s a brand revival strategy which offers valuable insights for the entire retail sector,” he said. Cowan highlighted Boohoo’s marketplace model as a crucial step in rebuilding Debenhams. “This allows them to rapidly scale their product offerings without being immediately required to establish strong supplier relationships across all categories. The marketplace model is the first phase, giving them the opportunity to test which categories perform best. Only after this will they potentially explore physical stores – but only as a way to enhance branding and experience.”

Peter Ahye, CEO of Hexagon Consultants, who was involved in Shop Direct’s rebrand to what is now The Very Group, said that the rebrand to Debenhams Group is a positive move. “It softens the brand perception and creates an umbrella under which multiple brands and marketplaces can operate. From that perspective, it makes sense.” 

As far as Debenhams Group’s structure is concerned, Ahye believes that the name change won’t have a massive impact on how its brands – Boohoo, Wallis and Burton to name a few – will continue to trade. He added: “Changing the corporate name doesn’t impact what consumers see because shoppers will still be engaging with the same brands directly.”

Ahye also remembers how the group has struggled in the court of public opinion even just a few years ago. Once valued anywhere from £4bn to £5bn, now it’s worth significantly less at under half a billion. “Confidence in the brand has declined, competition has intensified, and consumer shopping habits – especially among under 30s – are evolving rapidly,” he added. “However, with the Debenhams brand now fully integrated as a pure-play online business, they are streamlining operations. I suspect they are working behind the scenes to improve efficiencies – ensuring that whether a customer orders from Coast or Boohoo, all logistics flow through the same infrastructure to achieve economies of scale.”

Boohoo acquired Debenhams, the brand, out of administration in 2021, but did not take on any of its high street department stores. Despite going out the way it did, Ahye still thinks that Debenhams’ name still carries a level of prestige – but that’s not to say that it won’t take time. “Boohoo has built up a lot of reputational damage. For a while, it felt like there was one negative news story after another,” he said. “The Debenhams name helps shift that narrative – it signals reinvention. But people have long memories, and winning back trust takes time.”

Benson echoed Ahye’s opinion, saying that “successful branding is about building memories, and sadly consumers have very long memories. Breaking those is a tough task.”

While Rob Allen, a strategy partner at Coley Porter Bell, is of the opinion that Boohoo’s change to Debenhams Group is good for the brand, which can focus on building relationships with consumers at the same time as taking ownership of its operational issues, he added: “the surprise that they decided to have another existing brand take on the challenging dual role, rather than develop a new brand. This might be a quicker and easier option in the short run, but ultimately, it’s an opportunity missed. A new group brand could have set out its position and an exciting vision, and focused solely on the corporate brand role.” 

“The success of Boohoo’s rebrand will hinge on its ability to manage the transition and communicate effectively with its existing customer base, as well as the new demographics it hopes to win over,” Daniel Todaro, CEO of retail marketing consultancy Gekko, added. “Debenhams is already operating as a successful marketplace, reflecting growing consumer preferences for online shopping, variety and convenience. It makes sense for Boohoo to regroup and rebrand as Debenhams, which retains strong brand recognition and high trust among consumers – and is viewed as far less ‘icky’ than Boohoo, which is no longer a cool place to shop.”

Boohoo’s decision to rebrand as Debenhams Group is, at its core, a strategic attempt to distance itself from the controversies that have plagued its fast fashion empire. By leaning into Debenhams’ more established and – at least in name – more respectable legacy, the group hopes to reposition itself in an increasingly competitive and ethically conscious market. However, whether this will be enough to shake off years of reputational damage remains to be seen.