Matalan, the leading UK fashion and homeware retailer, is marking a major milestone in its transformation as it unveils a new season of product alongside a series of changes to how customers experience the brand.
The progress is now being expressed through Believe It’s Matalan, a new platform that brings Matalan’s evolution to life for customers and is designed to challenge perceptions of the retailer, showcase what it has to offer today and encourage customers to take another look.
The milestone is the culmination of more than a year of customer-led transformation at Matalan. Starting with a deeper understanding of its core customer – what matters to her and her loved ones and what she expects from Matalan – the retailer has evolved its product, stores and digital experience around a clearer proposition of everyday style, quality and value.
The shift is most visible in Matalan’s latest Autumn/Winter 2026 collection. Across womenswear, menswear, kidswear and home, there is a more effortless and modern approach to style, with greater focus on fabric, fit, quality and the design details that elevate the finished product. Particular areas of focus include denim, knitwear, outerwear and jersey, alongside Matalan’s Souluxe sportswear proposition and Taylor & Wright men’s formalwear offer – all while continuing to offer the value customers expect.
Customers are responding to the changes. In the second quarter of this year, Matalan grew both volume and value market share across clothing, footwear and accessories, while also moving from second to first retailer of choice among its core customers, compared with a year ago*. Q1 revenue also grew 2%.
The progress builds on a year of investment across the wider customer experience. Refreshed stores outperformed the wider estate by 12% in the year following their refresh, while online sales grew 10% in FY26.
Matalan has since completed the rollout of its new native app, with 93% of existing app users migrating to the platform in its first month. The app recorded two million sessions over the same period, with average order value 4% higher than on the previous app and 10% higher than on Matalan’s website.
Investment in stores is continuing too, with refreshed layouts, improved navigation and visual merchandising helping customers discover and shop the ranges more easily.
With growing evidence that the changes are resonating with customers, Matalan is building on that momentum with its boldest step yet. Believe It’s Matalan brings the transformation together for customers, putting the Matalan of today front and centre and inviting shoppers to take a fresh look at the brand.
Sarah Welsh, chief product, brand and commercial officer at Matalan, commented: “We’ve had a clear vision for a more modern Matalan for some time, shaped by what our customers have been telling us. This is a really exciting moment because that vision is now coming to life for customers. There’s been a huge amount of work to get here, and you can now see and feel the difference right across the Matalan experience.
“What’s most encouraging is that our customers are responding. Believe It’s Matalan gives us a chance to build on that – to surprise people, challenge some of the old perceptions of Matalan and show them what we have to offer today.”
In the days leading up to the launch of Believe It’s Matalan, Matalan will deliberately keep its name under wraps, putting its new-season product in front of consumers through unbranded teaser activity across outdoor, social, influencer and experiential channels, with only a distinctive red marque hinting at the brand behind it. Activity will include hand-painted murals in London and Liverpool, a red-box experiential pop-up at Westfield London, and an unbranded lookbook around London Fashion Week.
On 12 September, Matalan revealed itself as the brand behind the activity as the full Believe It’s Matalan campaign launched across TV, outdoor, social and other channels – inviting customers to reconsider what they think they know about Matalan.
