River Island and retail commentators have paid tribute to fashion veteran and River Island founder Bernard Lewis, who passed away over the weekend aged 100.
Lewis had one of the longest-running careers in fashion, starting his empire in the late 1940s when he opened the first Lewis Separates store to capitalise on the post-war clothing boom.
The retailer, which became famous for its affordable mix-and-match skirts and blouses, steadily grew to a 70-plus store estate by 1965.
Lewis later rebranded the business to Chelsea Girl in the 1960s and shifted its focus towards mini-dresses in a bid to reach a broader audience and capitalise on the trending style at the time.
Chelsea Girl was later renamed River Island in 1988 to modernise its image and unify the company’s womenswear collections with its menswear brand, Concept Man.
River Island is now owned by the Lewis family through the Lewis Trust Group and has over 200 stores nationwide. The high street retailer has struggled in recent years due to rising costs and changing consumer habits.
A spokesperson for River Island said: “We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bernard Lewis, one of the great pioneers of British retail, at the age of 100.
“Bernard’s life was defined by hard work, innovation and an unwavering commitment to the business he built from the ground up. Our thoughts are with his family and those who worked with him over many decades.”
Sharing his condolences via LinkedIn, former Drapers editor Eric Musgrave said: “For me (and plenty of others), Mr Bernard, as he was known within his company, was the finest fashion retailer of the post-war period, overseeing the creation and growth of Lewis Separates in the 1950s, Chelsea Girl in the 1960s and River Island in the 1980s and 1990s.
“This tremendous triple success was made possible by his incredible vision, drive, ability, nerve and talent for doing things differently. He also hired good people and encouraged them to get on with their jobs.
“Many folk are very grateful for the opportunity to have worked with him and learned from him.”
Retail consultant Richard Hyman said: “Bernard Lewis was a giant on the retail stage over his lifetime and there are very few people that could be said to be on par with him. He did it year in, year out, over most of his working life. An extraordinary achievement. He was a very impressive individual.
“The way in which Lewis Separates transitioned to Chelsea Girl and then Chelsea Girl transitioned into River Island was brilliant and the timing was fantastic.
“He understood that most retail brands have a lifecycle and timing was everything. In the late 1980s, when Chelsea Girl became River Island, it didn’t become the brand overnight. They did it incrementally. First, trying it out with a handful of stores and it was about testing and learning.”
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