John Lewis and Rejina Pyo reunite for 1990s-inspired summer collection

John Lewis is putting Rejina Pyo’s polished, low-key femininity on the rack in a way that actually feels reachable: 29 pieces, launched on 16 April 2026, with prices from £55 for a jersey top to £299 for a suede jacket. The collection is already online and in five stores, and it is a neat test of whether a department store can still make designer clothes feel covetable without pushing them into luxury-only territory.

The clothes are strongest when they stay in Rejina Pyo’s lane. Think slip dresses that skim rather than cling, softened tailoring, lightweight knit separates, light-wash denim and a throw-on suede biker jacket that gives the whole range a little edge without ruining the ease. John Lewis is pitching the line as elevated wardrobe staples for warmer months, but the better read is simpler: this is summer dressing for women who want polish without fuss.

The reference point is the 1990s, but not in the obvious nostalgia-shop way. Rejina Pyo said the decade shaped the collection’s attitude, not as a literal costume exercise, but as a mood built on ease and natural confidence. That is exactly where the collaboration makes sense. Her London-based, Korean-founded design identity has always had a calm, clean-line sensibility, and John Lewis brings the kind of broad high-street platform that can turn that into something more widely worn.

Rachel Morgans, John Lewis fashion director, singled out the tailoring as a standout and said the pieces are meant to last season after season and be worn in multiple ways. That is the right pitch for a collection like this, because the strongest pieces are the ones that can move from a summer lunch to a late dinner without looking overworked. The refreshed rectangle bag in cornflower blue is the prettiest kind of practical, while the new hobo bag in premium suede and baby blue leather pushes the accessory story into softer, more expensive-looking territory. The strappy kitten heels keep everything in that easy, 1990s register.

This is the second John Lewis x Rejina Pyo collaboration, following the 34-piece debut in October 2025, when the retailer framed the partnership as part of a wider push to strengthen its fashion credentials and back British-based design talent. The strategy is clear enough now: use a recognisable designer name to make premium high-street fashion feel sharper, fresher and worth paying attention to. In a season crowded with loud prints and disposable trends, this collection wins by staying restrained, wearable and just expensive enough to feel intentional.