Fashion Network covered IADS's sixth White Paper across multiple country editions, featuring the report in its UK, France and Japan publications on how DE&I initiatives face mounting pressures in global retail. The coverage highlighted IADS's findings that inclusion remains a measurable performance driver across decision-making, retention, communication and innovation despite widespread "DE&I fatigue" and implementation challenges.

Read the full Fashion Network article below:
Diversity, equity and inclusion under strain across global retail sector: IADS - UK

Diversity, equity and inclusion under strain across global retail sector: IADS - France

Diversity, equity and inclusion under strain across global retail sector: IADS - Japan

DEI at a Crossroads: New IADS White Paper examines the future of inclusion in global retail.

For years, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has been treated as a standard component of corporate strategy. Yet as scrutiny grows and external pressures intensify, retailers are confronted with a direct
question: is DEI still a core business priority, or is it at risk of being deprioritised as circumstances change?
The 2025 IADS White Paper examines this moment and explores how DEI, when approached with clarity and long-term commitment, can strengthen organisational resilience, support performance and help retailers stay connected to their diverse workforces and customers.

Since its founding in 1928, the IADS has coordinated information between department stores worldwide and produced research to help them navigate evolving challenges. The association publishes an annual White Paper on a topic central to the industry, always from the perspective of department stores. The 2020 edition reflected on lessons from the pandemic. In 2021, it examined digital transformation and its organisational impact. The 2022 edition analysed sustainability, CSR and ESG. In 2023, the focus shifted to retail media and monetisation ecosystems, and in 2024, the White Paper highlighted the crucial role of middle management.

The 2025 White Paper investigates DEI at a time when commitments are being tested more visibly than in previous years. DEI programmes came under heightened scrutiny in 2024, and the signing of the U.S. Executive Order 14151 in January 2025 prompted immediate responses from several major North American companies. Within this context, the IADS examines how DEI operates inside global retail organisations, the realities retailers face across regions, and why maintaining consistent, meaningful DEI practices remains important for long-term performance and relevance.

From longstanding struggles to modern pressures: why DEI feels different today

Although DEI is now part of mainstream corporate discourse, many of the expectations placed on companies reflect issues that have persisted for decades. What we call DEI today emerged from civil rights efforts, labour movements and long-standing demands for fair treatment on the shop floor. In retail, where frontline teams have historically pushed for equal opportunity and safer working conditions, this legacy is evident.

Recent years have added layers of complexity. In the United States, some organisations report misconceptions about DEI and signs of “DEI fatigue,” often linked to unclear objectives or uneven implementation. This has unfolded alongside increased scrutiny, with stakeholders questioning whether companies are committed to meaningful inclusion or merely responding to external pressure.

This combination of historical context and contemporary pressures shapes the environment in which retailers must now operate. Understanding these roots helps explain why DEI remains both challenging and essential, particularly in a sector built on human interaction and diverse customer communities.

DEI as a driver of performance

The research identifies four consistent ways in which DEI strengthens organisational effectiveness when integrated into daily operations. Retailers with diverse leadership teams report stronger decision-making and greater agility. Employees who feel valued and respected are more likely to remain, thereby reducing turnover in a sector historically challenged by high turnover. Inclusive teams share information more effectively, reduce operational errors and collaborate more constructively. Moreover, retailers note that some of their strongest ideas originate from frontline teams, who interact with customers daily and bring essential perspectives to innovation.

A global imperative with local realities

The White Paper also highlights that DEI is shaped by local context. Cultural norms, regulatory environments, and demographic realities shape how inclusion is understood and implemented across Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and North America. While some markets emphasise gender parity, others prioritise ethnicity, disability, socioeconomic background or national integration. Expectations around DEI language and transparency also vary widely. For global retail groups, tailoring approaches to each region while upholding universal principles of fairness and opportunity has become a significant operational challenge.

Operationalising inclusion: shared responsibilities and practical action

Building inclusion inside a retail organisation is a shared responsibility. Progress occurs when leaders, managers and teams work together to turn stated values into daily behaviours. Across the companies examined in the 2025 IADS White Paper, both IADS members and non-member retailers demonstrate how practical, grounded approaches help transform DEI from intention into visible impact.

Retailers such as Nordstrom and Marks & Spencer have strengthened employee voice and openness, creating more consistent opportunities for teams to share concerns and contribute ideas. Tesco has positioned inclusion as part of doing the right thing for colleagues and customers, connecting DEI to commercial relevance. Among IADS members, Falabella, El Corte Inglés, Galeries Lafayette and the Chalhoub Group illustrate how cross-cultural training, career development initiatives and structured feedback cycles help diverse teams thrive and broaden pathways to advancement.

Several capabilities repeatedly prove essential to operationalising inclusion:

• Listening: understanding how employees from different backgrounds experience the organisation and identifying gaps between leadership perceptions and lived reality.
• Clarity: setting explicit behavioural expectations, ensuring that teams understand goals, responsibilities and decision-making criteria.
• Collaboration: strengthening alignment between stores and headquarters, crucial for international groups operating across diverse markets.
• Fairness in practice: ensuring recruitment, promotion and development processes are transparent and accessible.

These capabilities are reflected not only in formal programmes but in the interactions that define working life. Retailers that reduce unnecessary pressure on managers, support cultural competence and offer flexibility create a foundation for more equitable, engaged and resilient teams. When such habits take root, DEI becomes part of how the organisation works rather than an isolated initiative.

Turning insights into action

The 2025 White Paper goes beyond describing the state of DEI. It examines the organisational conditions that allow inclusion to take root and highlights the behaviours and structures that consistently support stronger outcomes for teams and customers. Drawing on examples from both IADS members and other leading retailers, the report illustrates how inclusion becomes more effective when supported by clear expectations, stable routines and regular dialogue across all levels of the organisation.

Rather than prescribing a fixed model, the White Paper offers guidance on where retailers can focus their efforts, grounded in real practices observed across markets. These insights are designed to help organisations reflect on how DEI can become a steady, integrated part of their operations, even as expectations and environments continue to shift.

The full IADS White Paper, “DEI at a crossroads: turning diversity, equity and inclusion into a long-term advantage for resilient retailers,” provides a deeper examination of the levers that strengthen inclusion and the actions that can support more resilient, engaged and connected teams.

Read the full press release below:

White Paper: DEI and department stores- IADS Press Release (English)

Livre Blanc: Grand magasins et Diversité - IADS Communiqué de Presse (Français)

Access the White Paper below:

Click here to view the table of contents

IADS White Paper- DEI at a crossroads in retail

WWD portrays Galeries Lafayette chair Nicolas Houzé as taking on the IADS presidency just as global retail seeks renewed momentum, adding this role to his leadership in French fashion and city‑center trade bodies. The article links his new mandate at IADS with Galeries Lafayette’s major investments, international expansion and belief that “boring retail is dead,” arguing that department stores must win through experience, curation and entertainment.

Access the WWD article below:
WWD’s “CEO Talks” spotlights Nicolas Houzé’s IADS presidency and retail vision

Read the full press release here: 
IADS Press release : New President and Vice President 

Retailers Magazine explains that Galeries Lafayette’s Nicolas Houzé and Falabella Retail’s Francisco Irarrázaval have been appointed president and vice‑president of IADS, supported by an executive committee of leading international department stores. The piece notes that their agenda centers on key shifts in how department stores operate and serve customers, supported by continued collaboration within IADS.

Read the full article below:
Retailers Magazine presents IADS’ new president–vice president duo and their agenda for the future

Fashion Network explores how generative AI, shifting wealth patterns and new consumption habits are forcing department stores to pivot from selling objects to staging experiences, as IADS urges retailers to rethink their value proposition beyond price and product. IADS' Managing Director, Selvane Mohandas du Ménil argues that department stores must respond to ultra-fast fashion, agentic AI and cross-generational expectations through strategic curation, partnerships and new services that make them places where consumers choose to spend the time saved by platforms like Amazon and Shein.

Read the full Fashion Network article below:

Fashion Network relays IADS’ take on AI, curation, and the next phase of department stores - English

Fashion Network relays IADS’ take on AI, curation, and the next phase of department stores - French

Fashion Network reports that Galeries Lafayette executive board chair Nicolas Houzé has been reappointed president of the International Association of Department Stores (IADS), with Falabella Retail’s Francisco Irarrázaval stepping in as vice-president to strengthen the organisation’s global leadership. Under their mandate, IADS will continue to leverage shared expertise, strategic tools, and its Academy to help member department stores turn current market challenges into new growth opportunities.

Read the full article below:

Fashion Network highlights Nicolas Houzé’s return to IADS presidency and introduces Francisco Irarrázaval as the new vice-president - English

Fashion Network highlights Nicolas Houzé’s return to IADS presidency and introduces Francisco Irarrázaval as the new vice-president - French

Fashion Network highlights Nicolas Houzé’s return to IADS presidency and introduces Francisco Irarrázaval as the new vice-president - Portuguese

LSA Conso outlines that Nicolas Houzé of Galeries Lafayette and Francisco Irarrázaval of Falabella Retail have taken up the top leadership roles at the International Association of Department Stores (IADS), assembling a committee representing global retail heavyweights. The duo’s mandate centers on leveraging IADS’s collective expertise and strategic platform to equip department stores for renewed relevance and future industry success.

Learn more in the full article below:

LSA Conso covers Nicolas Houzé and Francisco Irarrázaval’s appointment to lead IADS and guide the next chapter for department stores - French

Mr Nicolas Houzé (Galeries Lafayette) and Mr Francisco Irarrázaval (Falabella Retail) appointed President and Vice President of the IADS.

During the 66th General Assembly of the International Association of Department Stores (IADS) held in Hong Kong on 12th of November 2025, the IADS members elected the Executive Committee for the new term, including the new Association’s President and Vice President.

Mr Nicolas Houzé, Executive Chairman of Galeries Lafayette (France), was appointed President of the IADS. 

Galeries Lafayette, a member of the IADS since 1960, last held the presidency of the Association in 2017, and this is the second time Mr Houzé has been elected to this position. Nicolas Houzé, 50, graduated from INSEAD and held various positions at A.T. Kearney, Deutsche Bank, Monoprix, before joining the family business in 2006 to oversee  the Group’s watchmaking division (Louis Pion and Galeries Lafayette–Royal Quartz Paris). He joined the Executive Board in 2009, served as Deputy CEO of the department store division (Galeries Lafayette and BHV MARAIS) from 2011 to 2013, before taking over as CEO from 2013 to 2024, and was appointed Executive Chairman  of the Galeries Lafayette group in 2024. Nicolas Houzé also acts as Chairman of the Comité Stratégique de Filière Mode et Luxe (French strategic committee for the fashion and luxury industry) since 2023 and serves as President of the Union du Grand Commerce de Centre-Ville (French union of city centre retailers) since 2019. He was recognised as one of the 500 most influential personalities in fashion according to Business of Fashion. At IADS, he succeeds Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International Holdings Limited, which operates Sogo department store in Hong Kong, HKSAR.

Mr Francisco Irarrázaval, CEO of Falabella Retail, was appointed Vice-President of the IADS. 

Mr Irarrázaval has been a member of the Association’s Executive Committee in the past, and this is the first time a representative from Falabella Retail, an IADS member since 2006, is appointed Vice President. Francisco Irarrázaval, 50, studied Civil Engineering at Universidad Católica de Chile and Public Administration at Harvard. He has been CEO of Falabella Retail, the department store division of Falabella, operating in Chile, Colombia and Peru, since 2021. Prior to his appointment, Mr Irarrázaval was the CEO of Ripley, after having held various positions in the Chilean government between 2009 and 2014. Prior to that, he founded and directed TECHO.org, a charity involved in housing in South America.

IADS members have also appointed Ms Lau a member of the Executive Committee, alongside Mr Holger Blecker, CEO of Breuninger (Germany), Mr Olivier Bron, CEO of Bloomingdale’s (USA), and Mr Peter King, Member of the Board at Magasin du Nord (Denmark). Together, the President, Vice President, and members of the Executive Committee will be responsible for defining the roadmap for the IADS and maintaining its positioning as a strategic tool and an exclusive service for its retail members.

Commenting on this announcement, Nicolas Houzé declared: “Returning to the presidency of the IADS seven years after my first term is a real honour. The retail industry has undergone a period of profound technological, sociological, and geopolitical change, redefining the way we think about department stores internationally. In this context, IADS offers its members a unique strategic platform where the exchange of expertise, access to powerful tools, and anticipation of trends enable us to turn challenges into opportunities. Our shared ambition is to strengthen the global leadership of department stores and prepare for the future of retail.”

In addition to the organisation of a series of exchange meetings at all levels, from CEOs to C-suite, buyers and merchandisers, the Association now offers an array of tools developed with its partners, Retail Hub in tech sourcing, RH-ISAC in cyber defence and Newstores in retail trends, all aiming to provide extra resources to its members. The Association also operates the IADS Academy, a 9-month training program for its members’ talent. Finally, the IADS also directly supports its members by acting as a 100% dedicated informational hub.

The most recent member to have joined the Association is John Lewis & Partners (UK), in March 2025.

About Galeries Lafayette

A world-famous, leading French department store, Galeries Lafayette has been the undisputed expert in fashion and events for the past 130 years. It strives to make each visit a unique experience by offering French and international clients a constantly renewed selection of the best brands, ranging from the affordable to premium. Present in the fashion, accessory, beauty, interior decoration, fine foods and catering sectors, the brand is celebrated for its 48-store network in France - including 17 of its own and 31 subsidiarised ones - and eleven current and upcoming international stores , its e-commerce website galerieslafayette.com and its off-price activity Galeries Lafayette L’Outlet.

More information on galerieslafayette.com, on Facebook and on Instagram (@galerieslafayette)

About Falabella Retail

In accordance with its vocation to offer the best shopping experience of all times, Falabella Retail is the leading physical-digital ecosystem in the region. It has 106 stores distributed in Chile, Peru and Colombia and an e-commerce platform that brings together in one place the offerings of Falabella, Sodimac, Tottus and thousands of sellers. It employs more than 24,100 employees in the region, serving more than 15 million customers.

More information in our press room: http://www.falabellaretail.falabella.com/

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network that facilitates exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with Retail Hub, RH-ISAC, and Newstores, the Association remains constantly up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

About the IADS Academy

The IADS Academy is an IADS transformative initiative started 30 years ago to help develop young talented executives into future leaders. During the 9-month programme, participants are asked to provide concrete and actionable answers to a question raised by CEO members. To that end, they learn, exchange and are empowered to solve a problem with a C-level vision. The IADS Academy allows them to foster relationships in a multi-cultural, multi-skilled group and gain a broader perspective on the operations of department stores.

Among current members, 3 CEOs and 1 COO are Academy Alumni. Over 30 years of existence, 29 companies from 22 countries have participated and the Academy trained 160+ high potential executives.

Contact: press@iads.org 

Read the full press release below:

Download the full press release, in English, here.

Read the full press release, in French, below:

Download the full press release, in French, here.

Business of Fashion explores how Shein’s launch at Paris’s BHV amplifies the challenges facing traditional department stores as ultra-fast fashion transforms shopping habits. IADS’ comments on the uncertainty over whether such collaborations reignite interest or accelerate physical retail’s decline.

Read the full scoop on Business of Fashion:

Business of Fashion features IADS on Shein’s BHV launch and its impact on department stores

Fashion Network reports that Shein’s first store inside Paris’s BHV highlights the global challenges facing department stores, as ultra-fast fashion reshapes retail. The article includes IADS’s view on whether such collaborations revive traffic or hasten the decline of physical stores.

Read the full Fashion Network article below:

Fashion Network reports on IADS’s take as Shein’s BHV debut tests the future of department stores

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) entrusts its complete archives to the French Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail (ANMT). 

As part of an unprecedented initiative to promote research on the history of retail trade, the IADS has entrusted the entirety of its archives, collected since 1928, to the French State through the ANMT. Covering more than ninety years of original analyses, exchanges between members, and specialised documentation, this donation bears witness to the global evolution of the department store industry since 1928. This approach aims to promote research and public access to essential and previously unpublished historical documents, allowing the global evolution of the department store industry to be traced over nearly a century.

Founded at the initiative of six visionary European and American department stores during the interwar, the IADS established itself as the first international association dedicated to expertise sharing in the department store sector. Its archives trace the economic history of department stores and their profound impact on society, urban planning, and consumption patterns in the twentieth century.

This donation, formalised by the President of the IADS, Ms. Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International Holdings Limited (which operates the SOGO department store in Hong Kong) in April 2024, is a testament to IADS’s commitment to research and preservation of the historical heritage of commerce. It continues the IADS’s efforts in research and information regarding the department store format, as evidenced by its recent partnership with the Cité de l’architecture et du patrimoine for its exhibition The Saga of Department Stores from 1850 to the Present Day, held in Paris from November 6, 2024, to April 6, 2025.

Following meticulous work to verify the material condition, replace some original containers, and create an intake inventory conducted by the teams of the Archives Nationales du Monde du Travail (ANMT, an institution placed under the French Ministry of Culture), the list of documents representing a total of more than 40 linear metres of archives, is now available online on the institution’s website [link]. The documents can be consulted in the ANMT reading room in Roubaix (northern France), from Tuesday to Friday (visit their website: https://archives-nationales-travail.culture.gouv.fr/).

The richness of this documentary collection makes it possible to grasp the extent of department stores’ global impact. Detailed reports testify to their ability to adapt to numerous challenges, such as the emergence of shopping centres on the outskirts of cities in the 1960s, the rise of large food retailers, the development of e-commerce, and the evolution of relationships with brands and suppliers.

This historical reality and the fact that the format has constantly reinvented itself in the face of societal, commercial, and technological changes give even more value to the documentary collection now accessible to the public. The IADS archives contain, in addition to documents concerning its creation, internal analysis reports, specialised journals of great historical value, as well as audiovisual media (DVDs, videos, sound recordings), and artefacts.

Thanks to its partnership with the ANMT, the IADS now makes available to researchers all the minutes of its general assemblies from 1928 to 2000, as well as correspondence between its members and reports of regular thematic meetings on subjects as varied as marketing, human resources, logistics, private labels, or services. It is also possible to access the annual financial reports of more than a hundred department store companies, some dating back to 1928, such as A L’Innovation in Belgium (a founding member of the IADS since renamed Inno), Kaufhof in Germany, La Rinascente in Italy, Nordiska Kompaniet in Sweden (a founding member of the IADS since renamed NK), Le Printemps in Paris (a founding member of the IADS), all companies that have traversed the eras. It is also possible to rediscover names such as Sears-Roebuck or Proffitt’s in the United States, Allders in England, Au Bon Marché in Belgium, or Les Nouvelles Galeries in France.

The documentary collection also includes all the research conducted by two emblematic leaders of the association: Mr. Hrant Pasdermadjian, first secretary from 1936 to 1954 and author of The Department Store: its Origins, Evolution, and Economics, published in London in 1954, and Dr. James B. Jefferys, who remained in office from 1954 to 1984.

Finally, the IADS donation offers the possibility of rediscovering often complete sets of journals specialised in management and retail, including the emblematic RNL—Retail Newsletter, published from 1936, of which the IADS preserved all copies until 2006.

Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International (Hong Kong SAR) and President of the IADS, said: “IADS archives represent a remarkable record of retail evolution - preserving nearly 100 years of innovation, challenges, and transformation in department store history. By entrusting these invaluable records to ANMT, we’re ensuring this living legacy continues to educate and inspire future generations of retail leaders, researchers, and historians.Department stores have always been more than places to shop - they’re cultural institutions that reflect and influence society itself. These archives capture that remarkable journey, from the golden age of retail to today’s digital revolution. We’re honored to share this story with the world.”

The integration of these archives into the heritage collections of the French State, to be managed by the ANMT, thus offers researchers and the general public a detailed insight into the dynamic history of department stores. This partnership highlights the importance of historical preservation for understanding the retail sector’s impact on society. It reflects the IADS’s commitment to highlighting the evolution of the department store model and sharing the innovative spirit of its members with a global audience.

IADS archives are accessible by following this link. They can also be accessed from the Association website, www.iads.org.

About the Archives nationales du monde du travail (ANMT)

A national service under the Ministry of Culture, the ANMT’s mission is to collect, classify, preserve, communicate, and enhance the archives of actors in economic and professional life: companies, unions, works councils, professional organizations, associations working in the world of work.

The archived collections consist not only of written, handwritten, or printed documents but also photographs, posters, and other audio and visual documents.

The institution also has a strong policy of producing or hosting scientific and cultural events to enhance the history and heritage of the world of work for all audiences: exhibitions, symposiums, conferences, screenings, shows, workshops, games, guided tours...

Press contact: marine.huguet@culture.gouv.fr

Website: https://archives-nationales-travail.culture.gouv.fr/

Email address: anmt@culture.gouv.fr

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub, RH-ISAC and Newstores, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

Read the full press release below:

Download the full press release, in English, here.

Read the full press release, in French, below:

Download the full press release, in French, here.

Fashion Network referenced findings from IADS’s press release on its recent E-commerce Directors Meeting, highlighting how members are using AI, data, and super apps to enhance customer experience. The article showcases initiatives from El Palacio de Hierro, Breuninger, Magasin du Nord, and Galeries Lafayette as examples of how digital innovation is reshaping department store strategies.

Read the full Fashion Network article below:
Fashion Network cites IADS insights on AI and digital innovation in department stores - English

Fashion Network cites IADS insights on AI and digital innovation in department stores - French

Fashion Network cites IADS insights on AI and digital innovation in department stores - Spanish

A digital revolution is taking place within department stores: “super apps”, AI-powered personalisation, and omnichannel innovation transform legacy retailers into e-commerce innovators.

IADS members’ e-commerce directors recently met to exchange on how e-commerce can vitalise heritage retail. Their discussions revealed a common conviction: the future belongs to retailers that blend human-centred apps, intelligent data and physical store muscle into one seamless journey. From near-instant deliveries in Dubai to conversational shopping in Mexico, participants showed that department stores are at the forefront of retail's technological evolution.

Super apps: the flagship store in your pocket

Department stores are moving beyond traditional e-commerce websites to create comprehensive super apps that combine shopping, financial services, loyalty programmes, and lifestyle features such as restaurant and service booking. These digital ecosystems are delivering remarkable results, with some retailers reporting conversion rates nearly ten times higher on mobile apps compared to their websites.

The most successful implementations aim to integrate everything, from flagship and financial services to travel agencies and concierge services, creating an evolving digital ecosystem that keeps customers engaged throughout their luxury journey. El Palacio de Hierro offered perhaps the boldest vision: mobile app users are demonstrating significantly higher engagement levels, visiting stores more frequently and spending more than traditional website users and engaging more deeply than web-only shoppers. On its side, Breuninger now designs every digital feature within its app environment first, confident that richer first-party data will pay dividends across channels. Others are weighing when to double down on apps versus emerging AI assistants. Magasin du Nord, for example, benchmarks user expectations to determine whether to enhance app features.

Across varying initiatives, participants agreed that owning the primary digital doorway is essential to defend both brand equity and margins against marketplace giants.

Turning data into dialogue

Department stores, once known for their grand façades, are increasingly defined by invisible layers of machine learning. Retailers shared how they now generate personalised copy, sizing guidance and concierge-style chat through generative and agentic AI. For example, Galeries Lafayette utilises AI to enhance product data and conduct A/B Tests, embedding optimisation into its day-to-day culture.

AI is also reshaping back-office workflows. Magasin du Nord detailed how it transferred ownership of data quality from IT to e-commerce specialists, pairing human validation with AI enrichment tools. The shift unlocked smoother search and higher conversion rates while providing merchandising teams with a single source of truth.

Yet algorithms can only flourish inside the right culture. Breuninger described a top-down push toward “test-and-learn” mind-sets that reward calculated risks and publish even failed experiments company-wide. Leaders say this openness has accelerated decision-making and kept the brand ahead of fast-moving digital trends.

AI transforms personalisation and customer service

Artificial intelligence is transforming the way department stores engage with customers, from personalised product recommendations to automated customer service. Retailers are implementing AI-powered digital concierges that can handle the majority of customer conversations while maintaining personalised service levels.

The most innovative applications include conversational commerce through messaging platforms, as seen with El Palacio de Hierro on WhatsApp, AI-enhanced product imagery and descriptions, and predictive analytics for inventory management. Some stores are experimenting with AI shopping agents that can recommend products, monitor prices, and even place orders on behalf of customers.

Search engine optimisation is being reimagined for the AI era, with retailers adapting their content strategies to appear in AI-powered search results. This shift recognises changing consumer behaviour, as younger generations increasingly turn to AI tools rather than traditional search engines for product discovery.

Omnichannel that hits all the right notes

Stores are no longer static showrooms. They are fulfilment hubs, media stages and loyalty accelerators. Department stores are successfully bridging online and offline experiences through sophisticated omnichannel strategies. Ship-from-store initiatives are expanding rapidly, with Galeries Lafayette seeing immediate increases in fulfilment capacity when opening stock across their entire store network.

Speed remains a defining battleground. Level Shoes from the Chalhoub Group now promises near-instant delivery across the UAE, utilising service speed as a luxury differentiator while simultaneously launching a pre-loved category that attracts sustainably minded and vintage-loving consumers without cannibalising core sales.

Loyalty is evolving just as quickly. Breuninger’s four-tier programme layers experiential rewards, such as early access to limited drops or concert tickets, over traditional points, using behavioural triggers and gamified messaging to keep members climbing the status ladder.

The most successful omnichannel customers are proving significantly more valuable than single-channel shoppers, driving retailers to strengthen their multi-channel offerings. Services like click-and-collect, real-time inventory visibility, and seamless returns across channels are becoming standard expectations.

The department store sector is demonstrating remarkable adaptability. The focus on continuous testing, cultural transformation, and customer-centric innovation suggests a sector well-positioned for future challenges. The success of these initiatives indicates that the future of luxury retail lies not in choosing between physical and digital channels, but in creating seamless, personalised experiences that leverage the best of both worlds.

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale's (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub, RH-ISAC and Newstores, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members' questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

Read the full press release below:
IADS Press Release: E-commerce directors meeting

Read the full press release, in French, below:
IADS - Communiqué de presse - Directeurs E-commerce.

Fashion Network reports on the first Paris edition of NRF Retail’s Big Show, set for September 16–18, bringing together 480 solution providers and nearly 15,000 attendees. IADS is listed among global speakers alongside LVMH, Amazon, Carrefour, and other major retail players.

Read the full Fashiion Network article below:

Fashion Network reports on NRF Retail’s Big Show debut in Paris with IADS among global speakers

Mercado&Consumo spotlights IADS at the Latam Retail Show, where executive director Selvane Mohandas du Menil will join a global panel linking São Paulo and Paris to discuss how department stores are evolving into lifestyle destinations. The article emphasises IADS’s role in providing a European perspective on tariff changes and strategic adjustments required in today’s shifting global retail landscape.

Read the full Mercado&Consumo article below:

Mercado&Consumo spotlights IADS at the Latam Retail Show crossover with NRF Europe

Retail News explores the debut of the IADS Global Retail Risk Index, detailing how the ranking compares nine world regions using thirty-one indicators across eight categories, and explains how annual updates will help retailers and investors adapt strategies in response to evolving global risks and opportunities.

Read the full Retail News article below:

Retail News reviews regional insights from the first IADS Global Retail Risk Index

Navigating global instability: IADS introduces the first Global Retail Risk Index for retail decision-makers

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) launches its first Global Retail Risk Index, a new strategic tool to compare regional risks and guide expansion and investment decisions.

The IADS Global Retail Risk Index, an unprecedented ranking of nine major world regions according to their level of retail risk, provides executives and investors with a comparative instrument of regional environments to inform their choices of establishment and development.

An unprecedented barometer for unstable times

Wars reshaping maritime routes, fluctuating tariffs, climate shocks paralysing logistics, and a growing divide between American and Chinese regulatory spheres: retailers operate in a context where cross-border volatility can, in a single quarter, erode margins and derail expansion projects. Until now, no unified tool, centred on retail-specific issues, has existed to measure where these risks are most acute. Yet retail disruptions have multiplied: new US tariffs on Chinese products have forced Macy’s, Nordstrom and Dillard’s to raise the price of their footwear by up to 4%, with a similar increase in apparel, while the slowdown in port traffic requires a rethinking of logistical solutions. For these reasons, the IADS Global Retail Risk Index aims to provide a consolidated view of regional conditions, based on the most recent data available, enabling retailers to compare and anticipate.

A robust methodology

The IADS Global Retail Risk Index aggregates open-source data from the World Bank and recognised third-party indices. It ranks nine regions of the world according to their “favourability” for retail investment, by analysing 31 indicators grouped into eight categories of risk: economic, demographic, business, supply chain, tourism, infrastructure, public perception and climate.

Each indicator, updated annually, is assessed quantitatively or qualitatively, then integrated into a composite score. A lower regional score signals lower retail risk, reflecting a stronger capacity to absorb new commercial exposure. Detailed regional reports complement this approach, while acknowledging certain methodological limits, including the subjectivity of the notion of “favourability” and the static nature of historical data in a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.

Despite these limits, the IADS has found that no comparable index exists at the global level to provide a complete and relevant strategic perspective for the retail sector.

Findings of the 2025 edition

• North America: the most favourable region, thanks to solid economic, logistical, infrastructural and environmental fundamentals, despite demographic ageing and income inequalities.
• East Asia and Pacific: the second most attractive region, driven by economic and logistical performance, but hindered by persistent gaps in literacy, female participation and climate indicators.
• European Union (including Switzerland and the United Kingdom): third place, supported by strong FDI flows, high female participation and stable governance, despite inflation and an ageing workforce.
• Latin America and the Caribbean / South Asia: moderate risk profile, combining favourable demographic dynamics with weaknesses in governance, infrastructure and business financing.
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia / Middle East and North Africa: low to moderate risk acceptability, making expansion possible but selective.
• Sub-Saharan Africa: the least favourable region, requiring great caution, despite strengths in renewable energy and female labour market participation.

In parallel, specific matrices provide detailed risk profiles of the United States and China, reflecting their divergent regulatory and logistical realities.

A reference set to evolve

This first report constitutes a foundation for strategic analysis of the risks specific to each region. From the next edition onwards, the index will make it possible to establish temporal comparisons and track the evolution of retail investment conditions worldwide.

The 2025 edition of the IADS Global Retail Risk Index can be downloaded by clicking here.

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale’s (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub, RH-ISAC and Newstores, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members’ questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

Press Contact: IADS, press@iads.org

Read the full press release below:

IADS - Press Release - Global Retail Risk Index 2025

Read the full press release, in French, below:

IADS - Communiqué de presse - Global Retail Risk Index 2025

IADS launches "IADS Retail Park": An AI-generated podcast turning retail insight into audio intelligence

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is proud to announce the launch of Retail Park, an AI-powered weekly podcast that transforms written insights into conversational audio, offering retail professionals a fresh and efficient way to stay informed.

Retail teams today are drowning in information but starving for meaning. Between dashboards, presentations, and constant communications, there's often little time to digest the why behind the what. Audio fills that gap by enabling passive yet meaningful learning, allowing retailers to learn while they do. The podcast format is a popular choice, as it combines consumption on the go with attention maximisation, which is why more than 500 million users are active podcast subscribers worldwide.

Department stores have already embraced the format. TheChalhoub Grouplaunched in 2021 The Podcast by Chalhoub Group, featuring regular conversations with internal leaders, partners, and industry figures on topics such as innovation, sustainability, and organisational culture, making it one of the few department store group podcasts consistently produced. El Corte Inglès' Ambito Culturalregularly invites writers, singers and artists on air, similarly to the events organised in their stores under the same name. Nordstrom's The Nordy Pod,hosted by the company's CEO Pete Nordstrom, is a familiar example of how retailers are shifting from sellers to storytellers—using podcasts to share culture, leadership, and customer stories, and enhancing customer connection and brand visibility. Galeries Lafayette's Minuit aux Galeriesshared behind-the-scenes stories after hours to celebrate their 150th anniversary in 2024.

These examples reflect what the industry already recognises: audio is now an established tool for connection, storytelling, and visibility.

Sharing department store knowledge

Since 2020, IADS has published over 150 "IADS Exclusives," written analyses that explore a wide range of topics relevant to department stores, including store formats, digital innovation, and industry-related topics. To foster open conversation and encourage the dissemination of knowledge about the department store format – a constant line of conduct for the Association - these articles have been made available to the public from the outset through its Substack page.

With IADS Retail Park, these insights are now accessible anytime, anywhere in the car, between meetings, or during store walkthroughs through short, high-impact audio.

Each episode is created using generative AI tools, including cloned voices of IADS team members, which allows the podcast to simulate the tone and rhythm of a live conversation. The process starts when the weekly Exclusive is released, which is then transformed into scripted dialogue, guided by reusable templates to ensure natural pacing and tone. Human editors refine each episode to provide clarity, accuracy, and emotional warmth.

Notably, the entire process (from draft to production) can be completed in under 24 hours, making Retail Park one of the fastest and most agile content formats IADS has developed.

Key features of the IADS Retail Park podcast include:

• Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Substack
• Weekly episodes featuring both past and new editorial content
• Full use of AI production tools
• Editorial oversight at every stage to ensure clarity, tone, and precision

Launched quietly in late February 2025, IADS Retail Park already features 45+ episodes, with new content added weekly. It combines editorial storytelling with emerging AI capabilities to create a format that is both personal and scalable.

The podcast reflects IADS's commitment to combining innovation with accessibility, serving as a model for how retail organisations can scale storytelling through voice technology while maintaining trust and personality.

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members worldwide, the Association serves as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication among its members. It also conducts research to address the current challenges of department stores and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale's (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of diverse business models and cultures, representing more than €40.5 billion in cumulated annual turnover, achieved through over 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub, RH-ISAC and Newstores, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members' questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members, preparing them to face the future of the retail industry.

Read the full press release below:

IADS Press Release - IADS Retail Park launch

Read the full press release, in French, below:

IADS Communiqué de presse - Lancement de IADS Retail Park

Maeil Business Newspaper highlights the IADS CEO conference's inaugural visit to Korea, where The Hyundai Seoul was chosen as a showcase for global retail innovation. The article features IADS President Kamshim Lau's admiration for Hyundai Department Store's forward-thinking approach and details how the conference agenda included AI-powered transformation, creative business models, and customer experience excellence, all positioning Korea as a rising leader in the global department store industry.

Read the full article below:

Maeil Business Newspaper celebrates IADS' recognition of Hyundai's retail leadership

BusinessKorea spotlights the first IADS CEO conference in Korea, emphasizing the international exchange of ideas on retail transformation. The article highlights how Hyundai Department Store's unique blend of space, technology, and content captured the attention of executives from nine countries, and how the event set the stage for future expansion of Hyundai's retail concepts across Asia.

Read the full article below:

Business Korea spotlights IADS global retail collaboration at The Hyundai Seoul

ChosunBiz spotlights the IADS CEO conference's vibrant debut in Korea, reflecting Hyundai Department Store's growing influence on the world stage. The article describes the exclusive tour of The Hyundai Seoul's innovative spaces and features Kamshim Lau's remarks on the value of international collaboration, celebrating the dynamic exchange of ideas that is shaping the future of department stores worldwide.

Read the full article below:

ChosunBiz highlighted IADS CEO conference and K-retail's global rise.

#### For the first time, the International Association of Department Stores co-organises its Mid-Year CEO Conference with Hyundai Department Store in Korea.

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) and Hyundai Department Store, one of Korea's leading retail innovators, renowned for its groundbreaking retail concepts and successful transformation of the traditional department store model, will jointly host the IADS Mid-Year CEO Conference in Seoul, Korea, on June 10, 2025. This landmark event marks the first time the oldest global retail association dedicated to the department store format brings its executive gathering to the Korean market, offering its members' leaders unprecedented and privileged access to one of Asia's most dynamic retail landscapes.

Founded in 1947 and evolving into a dedicated retail enterprise in 1971, Hyundai Department Store has transformed from its construction industry origins into a retail powerhouse that continually redefines the shopping experience. Today, Hyundai Department Store operates 16 department stores, including two under "The Hyundai" brand and the new "Connect Hyundai" concept, alongside eight outlets across Korea. The company generated approximately KRW 4,208 billion (€2.8 billion) in revenue for 2023 and has embarked on an ambitious corporate value enhancement strategy, announcing plans to invest KRW 1.2 trillion in The Hyundai Gwangju and KRW 700 billion in Busan Premium Outlet as part of its three-year value-up plan.

The flagship concept, The Hyundai Seoul, opened in 2021, has fundamentally reimagined what a department store can be. Occupying 89,000 square meters across 12 floors and housing nearly 600 different shops, this architectural marvel dedicates an unprecedented 49% of its space to rest areas, indoor landscapes, and experiential zones. Its most striking features include a 12-meter-high waterfall garden visible across multiple floors and a 3,300-square-meter indoor garden with 30 trees, natural grass, and ambient nature sounds beneath a 20-meter-high glass ceiling—the largest indoor garden in Korea.

What truly distinguishes Hyundai's retail approach is its meticulous attention to customer experience and communication. It is not surprising that The Hyundai Seoul has attracted over 100 million visitors in just two years, with particularly strong growth among international visitors and younger consumers. Throughout the store, crucial information is clearly conveyed to visitors—from floor guides highlighting must-see attractions to QR codes providing instant access to store locations, waiting times, and special offers. The store's design seamlessly integrates technology through facial recognition for VIP areas, guide robots, and digital experiences at "TUNE" on the sixth floor, which offers a variety of content through generative AI and holograms.

Hyundai's recent strategic initiatives further showcase its forward-thinking approach to retail. Hyundai unveiled "Connect Hyundai" in Busan, an innovative urban complex shopping mall combining a department store, an outlet, and cultural facilities to create a comprehensive shopping destination for a new generation of consumers. In February 2024, the company signed a comprehensive partnership agreement with Thailand's Siam Piwat Group to create synergy between the two companies. This was followed by an agreement with Japan's Hankyu Department Store in September 2024 to exchange VIP benefits, the first such arrangement for Hankyu with an overseas retailer. For international visitors to Korea, Hyundai launched "H Point Global" in February 2024, a dedicated membership programme offering special discounts, rebates, and convenient booking services for restaurants and transportation.

The company's commitment to supporting Korean fashion and culture is evident in "The Hyundai Global" platform, launched in April 2024 to help Korean fashion brands expand internationally. Beginning with Japan's Parco stores, this initiative aims to reduce overseas expansion costs for Korean brands by over 30% while introducing international consumers to K-fashion.

Technology integration remains central to Hyundai's strategy. The company has pioneered AI applications in retail, including "One Step," an AI-driven programme for creating advertising images that doubled click-through rates during its trial period, and "Lewis," an AI copywriting system that reduces campaign development time from weeks to hours. These innovations complement Hyundai's partnership with Seoul city government to create a "global life hub" offering multilingual consulting services and cultural exchange programmes for foreign residents, demonstrating the company's commitment to serving diverse communities.

This historic collaboration represents a significant evolution in the IADS's international engagement strategy. It brings its tradition of high-level retail dialogue to the Korean market at a pivotal moment in global retail transformation.

Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International (Hong Kong SAR) and President of the IADS declares: "We are thrilled to co-host our Mid-Year CEO Conference with Hyundai Department Store, a true pioneer in redefining the future of retail. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to innovation, excellence, and global dialogue in the department store industry. Seoul's vibrant retail ecosystem offers unparalleled insights, and we look forward to deepening our members' understanding of Asia's transformative trends alongside Hyundai's visionary leadership."

Mr. Jee Yong Jung, CEO of Hyundai Department Store, says: "Department stores are evolving beyond traditional retail spaces into platforms that deliver new experiences and meaningful value. Through the IADS CEO Conference, we expect Hyundai Department Store's space, technology, and content innovation to reach a wider global audience and further expand through engagement with international retail leaders."

By bringing together diverse perspectives from leading department stores worldwide, the Mid-Year CEO Conference will foster valuable exchanges on critical topics including omnichannel integration, generational shifts in consumer behaviour, sustainability initiatives, and the evolving role of physical retail in an increasingly digital world. The event promises to yield insights that will shape retail strategies globally, as participants gain firsthand experience of one of Asia's most innovative retail environments and forge connections that will drive future international collaborations.

The IADS Mid-Year CEO Conference in Korea builds on the Association's long tradition of facilitating knowledge exchange among the world's leading department stores. By partnering with Hyundai Department Store, the IADS continues its mission of providing strategic and concrete solutions to modern retailers' challenges, from real estate strategy to e-commerce profitability, organisational efficiency, private label development, and addressing evolving customer expectations. This event underscores the value of an international perspective in addressing shared industry challenges and highlights Korea's growing influence in global retail innovation.

About Hyundai Department Store

Hyundai Department Store is a major department store chain in South Korea. It currently operates 16 department stores nationwide. Its parent company is the Hyundai Department Store Group.

Hyundai Department Store is active in providing high-quality services, differentiated content, and trend-forward MD, and it is proposed to realize customer satisfaction beyond customer expectations. Also, Hyundai Department Store is contributing to developing the domestic distribution industry.

In particular, The Hyundai Seoul, which opened in February 2021, is considered to have presented a "future department store platform" by maximising the concept of 'retail therapy' instead of the traditional department store platform, reducing sales area and constructing an unconventional nature-friendly space.

Hyundai Department Store will become an ever-evolving platform through content research and development that can satisfy the space you want to stay in and the desire for new experiences.

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members around the globe, the Association acts as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication between members. It also conducts research to address department stores' current challenges and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale's (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of various business models and cultures and represent more than €40.5bn cumulated annual turnover, achieved through more than 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its own activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub and RH-ISAC, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members' questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members so that they are prepared to face the future of the retail industry.

Press Contact: IADS, [press@iads.org](mailto:press@iads.org)

Read the full press release below:

IADS Press Release - IADS and Hyundai

Read the full press release, in French, below:

IADS Communiqué de presse - Collaboration IADS & Hyundai

John Lewis joins the International Association of Department Stores.

John Lewis, part of the John Lewis Partnership and holder of a Royal Warrant of Appointment from King Charles III, renowned for its unique employee ownership model, omnichannel excellence, and trusted retail heritage spanning over 160 years, officially joins the IADS. This membership will be formalised at the 66th Association General Assembly in Hong Kong this November.

Founded in 1864 as a drapery shop on Oxford Street, John Lewis has become one of the UK's most beloved retail brands. With a rich heritage of customer service and innovation, the company has 34 department stores across England, Scotland, and Wales, complemented by robust digital channels that account for approximately 60% of total sales. At the heart of its business model is a diverse merchandise assortment spanning fashion, home, beauty, and technology, including both curated international brands and distinctive private labels, all underpinned by its recently restored "Never Knowingly Undersold" price pledge, which was introduced for the first time as early as 1925.

The company's flagship store on Oxford Street, London, stands as a testament to John Lewis's commitment to evolving with customer expectations. Recently revamped with a £6.5 million investment, this 39,000-square-meter retail destination showcases John Lewis's innovative approach to retail, featuring strategic brand partnerships like Waterstones and the upcoming Jamie Oliver cookery school, alongside technology-enhanced shopping experiences and personalised services. This flagship renovation is part of a broader investment in store improvements across the network, demonstrating the retailer's confidence in physical retail's continued relevance in an omnichannel world.

What truly sets John Lewis apart is its unique ownership structure as the UK's largest employee-owned business. Since 1929, all employees are "Partners" who share in the company's success. This distinctive model has fostered exceptional customer service and community connection, complemented by a rapidly growing loyalty program with 3.7 million active members, up 11% compared to last year.

In December 2024, John Lewis's commitment to quality and service was recognised at the highest level when it was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment as supplier of Household Goods and Furnishings to His Majesty King Charles III. This is a prestigious mark of recognition for companies that have regularly supplied the Royal Household for at least five years.

Ms Kamshim Lau, Executive Director of Lifestyle International (Hong Kong SAR) and President of the IADS said: "We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to John Lewis as a valued member of our esteemed community. As an iconic, employee-owned retailer with a rich heritage and a commitment to excellence, John Lewis brings a unique perspective and strength to our association. We look forward to collaborating with their team, sharing insights, and advancing the future of department store innovation together."

Mr James Breckenbridge, Retail Director at John Lewis, said: "We're delighted to join the Association and are looking forward to collaborating with members on strategic opportunities and challenges facing the retail industry today."

By joining the Association, John Lewis, which has already been a long-standing and influential member of the IADS in the past, will contribute to the fruitful exchanges taking place between leading department stores within the framework offered by IADS, where members collaborate on strategic challenges ranging from omnichannel integration to private label development, customer loyalty enhancement, and sustainable retail practices.

About the John Lewis Partnership

The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical experiment over a century ago, the Partnership is now the largest employee-owned business in the UK. The Partnership is purpose-driven, existing to create a fairer and more sustainable future for our Partners, customers, suppliers and communities. Our Purpose not only inspires our principles, drives our decisions and acts as our guide to be a force for good, it steers us to do things differently and better - all in service of creating a happier world for everyone and everything we touch.

John Lewis operates 34 shops across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 315 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 47 convenience branches, and another 29 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, waitrose.com, and specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine.

About IADS

The International Association of Department Stores (IADS) is the only expert body specialising globally in the department store retail format. Consisting of leading department store members around the globe, the Association acts as an international network, facilitating exchange and communication between members. It also conducts research to address department stores' current challenges and provide actionable insights for its members.

Today, IADS permanent members include Beijing Hualian Group (PRC), Bloomingdale's (USA), Boyner (Turkey), Breuninger (Germany), Chalhoub Group (UAE), Centro Beco (Venezuela), El Corte Inglés (Spain), El Palacio de Hierro (Mexico), Falabella (Chile, Colombia and Peru), Galeries Lafayette (France), John Lewis & Partners (UK), Lifestyle International Holding (Hong Kong), Magasin du Nord (Denmark), Manor (Switzerland), The Mall Group (Thailand), TSUM Kyiv (Ukraine). These retail leaders are joined by a network of other department stores and retail companies as corresponding members.

Together, the IADS members, all key players in their respective markets, create a landscape of various business models and cultures and represent more than €40.5bn cumulated annual turnover, achieved through more than 549 stores with 251,000 associates in 28 countries.

Through its own activities and partnerships with NellyRodi, Retail Hub and RH-ISAC, the Association constantly stays up to date on its members' questions and challenges. It generates solution-driven problem-solving processes for its members so that they are prepared to face the future of the retail industry.

Press Contact: IADS, [press@iads.org](mailto:press@iads.org)

Read the full press release below:

IADS Press Release: John Lewis joins the IADS

Read the full press release, in French, below:

IADS Communiqué de presse: John Lewis rejoint l'IADS

Fashion Network cited IADS' latest findings on how women's fashion is evolving as a key pillar of department store business. IADS notes that while the category's revenue share remains stable in 2024, the mix of brands and store layouts is diversifying-balancing creative new labels with heritage names to engage all generations. The report highlights the growing role of data in curating assortments and boosting cross-selling, as well as the need for innovation that reassures loyal customers while attracting new ones.

Read the full article below (available in English, French, and Spanish):

Fashion Network highlighted IADS on the evolution of women's fashion in department stores - English

En grand magasin, la mode femme se diversifie, entre labels créatifs et "marques héritage" - French

Así están renovando su oferta femenina los grandes almacenes como palanca de ventas cruzadas - Spanish