As the Golden Quarter approaches, some of Britain’s best-known retail names are gaining traction in fashion despite softer demand across the wider market. John Lewis, Harrods and Selfridges have all increased consumer interest over the past year, together accounting for 8.43% of fashion and retail searches.

Ecommerce agency MediaVision used its proprietary technology, Metis, to analyse UK consumer search behaviour between July and September 2026, examining which brands are gaining and losing attention ahead of the festive season. According to the company’s CEO Louis Venter, the findings point to an “interesting shift” in where consumers are directing their attention.

“While the wider fashion market has experienced a seasonal slowdown, established names including John Lewis, Harrods and Selfridges have all strengthened their share of brand demand,” he said.

“With Christmas approaching, this puts the spotlight back on retailers offering more than just a single product category. From fashion and beauty to homeware and gifting, multi-category retailers have an opportunity to capture consumers across several shopping occasions, particularly as competition for attention intensifies ahead of the Golden Quarter.”

While overall brand search demand softened during the quarter, some retailers continued to perform strongly. Next retained the largest share of fashion brand searches at 7.16%, reflecting its strong Q2 performance. It was followed by Primark (5.82%), Sports Direct (4.17%), TK Maxx (3.82%) and Vinted (3.54%), all of which recorded year-on-year growth.

The results suggest shoppers remain price-conscious, favouring value and second-hand retailers over full-price premium brands.

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