Clarendon Fine Art Opens Galleries In Three John Lewis Stores
Clarendon Fine Art is extending its high-street presence through a new John Lewis partnership, bringing specialist art galleries and advisory services into three of the retailer’s department stores.
Clarendon Fine Art has entered into a retail partnership with John Lewis, opening galleries within the retailer’s Oxford Street and Southampton stores, with a third location in Cheadle scheduled to open in October.
The openings form part of Clarendon Fine Art’s high-street expansion strategy, introducing its experience-led gallery model to customers within established John Lewis department-store environments.
The partnership brings art collecting into the wider shopping journey, combining gallery space with specialist advice and personalised service. Each location carries a curated selection of work spanning contemporary artists, 20th-century masters and emerging talent.
Artists represented across the galleries include Mr Brainwash and The Connor Brothers alongside L.S. Lowry, Picasso and Keith Haring, with works available across a range of price points.
Clarendon Fine Art specialists will be based at all three locations, advising both first-time buyers and established collectors. The service ranges from introducing customers to the fundamentals of collecting to advising on new acquisitions and works suited to individual interiors.
The model is intended to make art discovery part of a familiar retail environment rather than requiring customers to visit a standalone gallery. It reflects a wider shift in shop-in-shop and shared retail environments towards formats centred on discovery, specialist service and customer experience.
For John Lewis, the galleries add another specialist service to its in-store offer as the department store group continues to develop locations around product discovery, advice, services and experiences. The retailer is separately progressing a wider programme of investment in destination retail and its store estate.
For Clarendon Fine Art, the partnership provides another route to reach customers as it expands across premium retail, high-street and travel environments. The business has an established network of UK galleries, a growing presence in the United States and galleries aboard cruise lines including Cunard, P&O Cruises and Explora Journeys.
Clarendon Fine Art And John Lewis On The Partnership
“Our partnership with John Lewis marks an important milestone in Clarendon Fine Art’s growth, bringing together two brands united by quality, expertise and personal service. We believe art collecting should be driven by genuine connection and emotional resonance. By integrating our artworks within shopping spaces customers already know and trust, we can make those moments of discovery more natural and accessible, while demonstrating the powerful role art and culture can play in creating richer retail experiences.”
Rebecca Ball, Chief Commercial Officer at Clarendon Fine Art
“We are continually looking for ways to enhance the John Lewis experience by combining shopping with unique and memorable moments of inspiration and discovery. Clarendon Fine Art brings world-class expertise and an exceptional curated art collection directly into our stores. This partnership complements our Partner-led in-store advisory services and provides our customers with approachable, engaging guidance to help them find the perfect artwork.”
Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Services and Hospitality at John Lewis
The Clarendon Fine Art gallery at John Lewis Oxford Street opened on 3 September, followed by Southampton on 18 September. The Cheadle gallery is scheduled to open on 2 October, with all three operating during normal store opening hours.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
