River Island
History
River Island is a popular high-street fashion store in the UK and was established in 1948 by Bernard Lewis and his brothers in East London. Originally, Bernard Lewis began his trade by selling fruit & vegetables, and the company soon moved on to selling knitting wool.
When his three brothers joined the company, it branched out to 9 separate sites across London. By this point, the business was renamed to the Lewis Separates. Following the success of the initial stores, Lewis opened a larger chain of clothing stores named Chelsea Girl in 1970.
The newly opened stores took the UK by storm and quickly became one of the country's first chain of ladies fashion boutiques. However, noticing the market gap to sell fashion clothing to men, Lewis opened Concept Man in 1982.
Just six years later and following the success of both chains, River Island was born in 1988. Both Chelsea Girl and Concept Man merged into the new brand which offers fashion to both men and women.
Today, it is Bernard Lewis' nephew, Ben Lewis, who manages the company. River Island continues to be one of the UK's most loved fashion high-street stores. With new collections brought out each year and its expansion to offering children's clothing, it has grown significantly from its humble beginnings.
Key selling points:
- Offers both men's and women's clothing under one brand
- Affordable fashion that is accessible to all
- Renowned for its quality particularly in the case of handbags, jackets, and shoes.