Boohoo to grow Debenhams brand in the Middle East in new partnership

Fast fashion specialist Boohoo will sell its clothes in Debenhams’ stores in the Middle East

Boohoo’s clothes will be sold in Debenhams shops in the Middle East as part of a new partnership. 

The fast-fashion specialist, known for its £3 T-shirts and dresses, announced it will extend Debenhams’ franchise agreement with Alshaya, putting Boohoo products in permanent stores for the first time. 

It comes days after online-only rival Asos said its clothes would be sold in stores for the first time in the US, in a venture with Nordstrom. Alshaya will have exclusive rights to operate Debenhams stores in seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and Qatar. 

It already runs eight Debenhams stores in the UAE. 

Boohoo, hit by a sweatshop scandal in its Leicester supply chain, bought the Debenhams brand and website out of administration for £55million in January. 

The Debenhams name lives on across the Middle East and Boohoo brands will be available from the end of this year, and online from 2022. 

Boohoo boss John Lyttle said: ‘This is a great opportunity to build on the existing brand awareness.’ 

The company has picked wellknown high street brands such as Warehouse, Coast, Oasis, Dorothy Perkins and Burton at bargain basement prices in the pandemic.