Designers at Debenhams retail comeback begins with Ashish collab

Debenhams is putting a major push behind the revival of its Designers at Debenhams project and on Thursday said it’s returning for AW25 and has been “reimagined for a new generation” with Ashish Gupta’s Ashish label.

The exclusive partnership with the Indian designer sees Ashish bringing “his signature maximalism to the AW25 Designers at Debenhams collection, delivering pieces that are equal parts statement-making and wearable”.

We’re told the line-up “celebrates glamour, playfulness, and individuality through hero designs that demand attention”. Included are “technicolour oversized coats in saturated rainbow faux furs… high-octane sequin slip dresses in fluid 90s-inspired silhouettes that fuse minimalism with high-shine drama, [and] psychedelic printed jersey dresses in swirling, hyper-bright patterns that blur retro nostalgia with contemporary street style”.

The collection debuts on the Debenhams webstore on 9 October, priced from £59.

Designers at Debenhams launched in the 1990s and was a hugely popular brand, as well as being a trailblazer in terms of designer collaborations with retailers at affordable prices.

It brought big names to the high street — including John Rocha, Julien Macdonald, Jasper Conran, Matthew Williamson, Henry Holland,Betty Jackson, Ben de Lisi and many more — and the concept continues to be popular today so reviving it as part of the overall Debenhams comeback makes good commercial sense.

Debenhams Group CEO Dan Finley, CEO, Debenhams Group says: “Designers at Debenhams was more than a range, it was a retail movement. It broke down barriers between luxury and the high street and created a blueprint the industry still follows today. Bringing it back isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about taking the DNA that made it iconic and re-engineering it for how people shop, live, and dress now. Relaunching with Ashish a designer renowned for his unapologetic glamour, wit, and creativity, sets the perfect tone for this bold new era.”