TM Lewin pivots to casualwear as AI drives dearth of new graduates

TM Lewin is expanding its casualwear range as fewer graduates enter office jobs and working habits reduce demand for formal clothing. Managing director Dan Ferris said artificial intelligence is contributing to the smaller pool of young workers who might otherwise become new customers for shirts and suits.

The retailer now splits its range evenly between formalwear and casualwear, with rugby shirts and fisherman-style knitwear among its recent best-sellers. It went into administration in 2020 and collapsed again in 2022 after shifting to online-only sales; it has since reopened some shops. Sales are up 40 per cent year on year, and two more stores are planned for November, though Ferris said the business will not return to its former scale.