John Lewis & Partners

As John Lewis & Partners have such a strong presence in UK homes, it’s no surprise they wanted to introduce an own-brand product to the nation’s kitchen counters.

Simple, unique and excellent value for money were the watchwords in the brief, while remaining true to the spirit of the JLP brand. The end result hits home: a product whose subtle design and sophisticated simplicity lifts it clear of all competition – not only at the same price point but at double its price.

All products are of steel and plastic construction, with a kettle, 2-slot and 4-slot toaster in the range.

Since its arrival in 2014, the family of products in ever-new colours has grown in volume and popularity. It has helped identify John Lewis & Partners’ own-brand audio as a market leader of uniquely-designed, innovative products. The range primarily consists of radios for the home and, more recently, Bluetooth speakers and alarm clocks.

The packaging was designed in collaboration with Pentagram to reflect the bold colours of the product and create impactful in-store shelf presence. It has helped raise the bar of own-brand packaging across the industry and contributed to the overwhelming success of Spectrum.

The Spectrum Cube went on to win a Red Dot product design award.

It strips back the clutter of an FM & DAB radio, leaving only its core functionality and a strong visual presence that ensures it stands out in a world of black boxes.

Part of the John Lewis & Partners own-brand audio range.

TV stands have a reputation for falling short aesthetically, and a beautiful piece of furniture might not work practically. This product excels functionally and has a pared-back, contemporary style. It’s perfect for putting a TV on. Or not.

These two products undeniably took influence from the ’50s and ’60s audio design era, using bare metal, simple forms and a fuss-free user interface to encase a functional yet simplified product. The features most used were brought to the forefront; those infrequently used moved into a user interface accessible only through the customised LCD screens.