THE point of retailing, simpletons like me used to think, was to give people what they want to buy. Perhaps you might push the boundaries a bit or offer other options but that was the essence of the thing. Well, how wrong I was. It turns out that John Lewis — yes, the John Lewis which embodies the taste of Middle England, from socks to dishwashers — has different ideas.
The bombshell from this unexpected quarter is that it is giving up on floral midi-dresses — that is, below the knee — for women. This may seem like non-news but it is a big deal, sort of the equivalent of not selling chinos to men any more. The reason is, because women love them.
This novel philosophy was expressed by its new design director, Queralt Ferrer, who said: “That [popularity] was one of the main items that we thought we’ve got to move on from. It’s not easy because customers love them, but it’s a trend that has been around for too long and they were everywhere. We want to give people a reason to buy something new.”
So if customers really really like something, they’ve got to be re-eductated, not pandered to. And their bright plan is to offer women the exciting option of trophy knits, wide-legged denim, relaxed linen suiting and block colours. Get me to Zara, quick.
Look, as my fashion director friend, Tamasin Doe, observed, “floral midis are the uniform of John Lewis women for good reason.” They’re safe, they evoke the English countryside, they’re pretty. Think Kate Middleton, the Queen of the Floral Midi. This may sound like a recipe for boring, but it doesn’t have to be: designers like Marc Jacobs had terrifically edgy versions.
There has always been a floral midi, except for a dark period in the grungy 2000s when they weren’t around. And while John Lewis may feel that the wardrobes of Middle England are already full of FMDs, you can’t just tell the customer to move on. Are women over the age of 25 or with less than perfect knees going to be abandoned?
This isn’t just about a particular frock pattern. It’s about shops giving us what we want, not what they want to sell. Fashion can be dictatorial, but there comes a point when the wearers of clothes simply want to be given something that works. Flower power, come back.
