Fenwick York launches SS25 wellness collections with Barbour, Sweaty Betty, Vivienne Westwood and dryrobe

Fenwick, launched at the Coppergate Centre alongside Jorvik, quickly became a destination for shoppers in search of up-to-the-minute fashion and excellent beauty tips. Photographs of an in-store catwalk show in 1986 reveal that puffy pink satin and natty pegged pants were in-vogue, as Princess Diana, Mel & Kim and all the New Romantics guys were the style icons to emulate.

Roll on to 2025 and Fenwick is still on top of the trends that matter. This year, that means wellness, with the focus on clothes, accessories and lifestyle products to help us take care of courselves. To this end, Fenwick’s first campaign of 2025, Cloud 9, encourages shoppers to embrace the chilly challenges of these early months and head outdoors.

“We are a forward-thinking retailer with a pioneering spirit, dating back to 1882, when we first introduced immersive shopping experiences to our customers,” says Fenwick York store director Rebecca Elcock, who has worked there for 34 years. “This has not changed. Today we want to continue to push the boundaries and challenge ourselves to create exceptional experiences which encourage curiosity and experimentation.”

So, an atmospheric shoot at Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, by photographer Jeremy Everett, features designs by Barbour, Alo Yoga, Sweaty Betty and dryrobe, whose oversized waterproof coats with a fleece lining were invented for outdoor and cold-water activities such as wild swimming and surfing, allowing wearers to stay warm while changing in and out of swimwear or wetsuits. Dryrobes have soared in popularity, helped by becoming the changing coat of choice for actors on TV film sets across the world (including our very own All Creatures Great and Small, essential for a chilly February in the Dales).

Now dryrobes are everywhere - their status as middle-class mumswear is nodded to in BBC comedy Amandaland - but it is the brand’s association with wellbeing that is celebrated in the Fenwick campaign, and it is one of several to collaborate with the department store by providing useful tips, in this case on safe wild swimming (see the Cloud 9 section of Fenwick.co.uk, and find products to help improve mental and physical health, from journals and meditation books to headphones and smart watches).

Post-pandemic life and style continues to prioritise wellbeing over office-smart dressing. “There has been a huge rise in casualwear, with comfort taking over from something more formal,” says Rebecca. “The demand for loungewear, athleisure and this type of fashion has soared. Pyjama sets, sweatpants, and oversized shirts became staples for many people, even for virtual meetings. Also, we see this with footwear, with trainers being paired with anything, including evening wear.”

Fenwick was founded by John James Fenwick, who was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, in 1846. He had been an assistant in his father's grocery and an apprentice draper. In 1882, he bought and renovated a doctor's house on Northumberland Street in Newcastle, and this became his first store, selling mantles, silk goods, dresses, fabrics and trimmings. The flagship Fenwick store still stands on this site.

“Fenwick remains the UK’s largest family-owned chain of department stores, with the family still heavily involved in the business,” Rebecca says. “I report to one of the family and still love working for them today as much as I did 34 years ago.”

Clearly, there are challenges in the present-day UK retail environment, and Fenwick closed its Bond Street London store in February, 2024. “There are always new challenges in retail, and the current retail landscape is no different,” says Rebecca. “We are always looking to innovate, evolve and adapt while staying true to our brand values.”

York customers’ favourite beauty brands include Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, Ormande Jane and the newly-introduced Trinny London, while popular fashion brands include Carhartt, Max Mara, Oska, Eileen Fisher, Paige for jeans and Longchamp for bags. “I can always find something from Max Mara to buy,” Rebecca says.

“Our fashion buy now includes American Vintage, Billionaire Boys Club, Ed Hardy and an amazing offering of Louis Vuitton, Chanel and YSL vintage handbags.

“We are also always on the lookout for local brands to offer the opportunity to do a pop-up shop within the store."

Each Fenwick has a product edit tailored for its location and customers. “We host lots of in-store events and experiences with our beauty brands and put on kids’ activities and run competitions in the school holidays,” says Rebecca. “We also have our concierge, personal shopping, beauty services, and an exceptional bra fitting service.”

“We support our local hospice St Leonard’s and each year we sell cards and fundraise in aid of the charity. With 164 team members, there is always someone doing a fundraiser in-store.”

There are exciting new brands coming soon, she says, and Fenwick York promises to continue to bring its loyal customers a great hospitality and shopping experience. Rebecca says: “We have been demonstrating this signature hospitality and warm Fenwick welcome to our community in York since 1984 and we are incredibly proud to be part of this wonderful historic city, and continue to contribute to the city’s exciting evolution.”