Home shopping specialist Freemans Grattan Holdings has signed an exclusive collaboration with designer Julien Macdonald as it kicks off a new strategy.

The three-year tie-up, encompassing womenswear, accessories and home lines, is the first such deal Freemans has struck as it seeks to carve out a distinct space for itself through exclusive partnerships with designers, influencers and brands.

For the first time, Freemans will also make Julien Macdonald ranges available internationally by selling them on sites in Germany run by the retailer’s parent, home shopping giant Otto Group. Edited collections will also be sold on Freemans’ Curvissa and Kaleidoscope sites.

Freemans said that the deal is the “first significant step in a new strategic plan”.

Chief executive Ann Steer said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Julien on this new collection which confirms our commitment to our customers to bring them exclusive brands with differentiated product that we know they will love.”

The new collections will be sold online in spring/summer 2021.

The tie-up is the latest change at Freemans as it reinvents itself. In May, the etailer drafted in former Debenhams director Richard Cristofoli as its first chief customer officer.

He is expected to play a central part in reinvigorating Freemans, which was originally a catalogue specialist but now makes about 80% of its sales online.