// Rey House created for forgotten Gen X female consumer says F&F founder Julia Reynolds
// Reynolds has been joined by seasoned womenswear management team and launched today
The founder of Tesco’s F&F clothing range, Julia Reynolds, has launched lifestyle brand Rey House.
The product range is available to buy online from today.
Described as a lifestyle brand that serves the “under-represented” Gen X female, Rey House will sell clothing for women aged 40-plus, along with a selection of beauty and homeware.
The company said: “As you transition out of your 30s, one thing becomes abundantly clear – life is way too short to wear clothes that don’t fit properly.
“That’s why we’ve torn up the so-called rule book and gone back to what’s important: quality fabrics, flattering designs, and timeless tailoring techniques.”
Former Figleaves CEO Reynolds, who founded Tesco F&F clothing in 2001, has co-founded the brand amid the coronavirus pandemic with her friend and former Tesco global clothing buying director Mandy Kearns.
The first collection was designed in-house and includes shirts, blouses, jersey, dresses, knitwear and sweats.
READ MORE: Tesco announces new boss for F&F clothing arm
Reynolds said: “With Rey House, we aim to be the destination of choice for mid-age customers who can say ‘this is for me and I feel happy here’. I have brought together a team of well-regarded industry experts, all highly skilled and passionate about creating versatile clothing that women will want to wear time and again.
“We recognise they want an alternative to hunting through young fashion rails and to move away from mass-produced, poor-quality, throw-away clothing.”
Together with another new executive, Zoe Ellis, former head of buying at Figleaves.com and senior buyer at Tesco, Reynolds said she studied research from the fashion industry that pin-pointed the market gap.
“The women’s UK clothing market is worth £23.3 billion,” Reynolds said. “Yet while those over 45 make up more than 38% of adult clothing spend and the over 50s expected to be the sectors’ key consumers by 2040, there is still a clear gap for well-designed, quality clothing for them. It’s as if the market forgets that when women reach a certain age, they still long to look and feel great in what they wear.”
She described the brand’s pricing as “mid-range”. Retail prices range from £39 for jersey stretch trousers to knitwear at £85.
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