Premium retailer Reiss is trialling a repairs and alterations activation with SOJO at its Kent House and Long Acre stores in London.
The offering will include shortening hems, taking in waists on trousers, dresses, coats and jackets, replacing broken zips, fixing rips and darning cashmere knitwear.
The collaboration aligns with Reiss’ policy on waste and circularity, which aims to manage and reduce the waste generated from its business operations via the principles of reduction, re-use and recycle.
The partnership with the repairs and alterations service fulfils part of the brand’s aim to take steps towards a more circular economy. It aims to do this via a more circular approach to packaging, store refurbishment, retail operations and product.
This is the most recent in a thread of retail partnerships for SOJO that includes Ganni, Stine Goya, Temperley London, Aligne, Vestiaire Collective and Marks & Spencer.
SOJO was founded in 2021 by Josephine Phillips, a Forbes 30 under 30 alum who founded the repairs and alterations service with a view to creating a slower and more considered approach to fashion and making tailoring and repairs more accessible.
The concept of in-house repairs and alterations services is increasingly common, with Canadian outerwear brand Arc’teryx launching its ReBird station at its Covent Garden flagship earlier this year. Also this year, John Lewis trialled its own repairs service across five branches, and Uniqlo hosted repair workshops for International Repair Day in October.
Earlier in the year, Phillips told TheIndustry.fashion that in-house repairs and alterations services benefit brands in three key ways: “Offering alterations empowers retail assistants to go above and beyond for customers and sell pieces that otherwise would remain on the shelf. A simple length shortening on a pair of trousers is the difference between a delighted customer versus a lost sale due to fit.”
Philips added that in-store services drive sales via footfall: “It serves as an extra touchpoint for a customer to connect positively with a brand, as well as the potential to spend more money when they come in-store for their service. We’ve driven hundreds of customers in-store to book in for repair services and the brands are using it as a perfect opportunity to give that loyal customer a chance to look at their new collections on offer.”
Finally, if customers bring items into the store which have sustained damage within their warranty, Philips said that customers start out “disappointed, even angry, and are fearful that their item may no longer be available”. However, by offering a repair, the customer can get their item back with minimal cost to the brand. “Retail staff have shared that by offering this service they can turn this experience into something really positive,” she concluded.
