- New tote bag designed by a Care Experienced student launched to inspire young people in the care system and raise more donations.
- The launch builds on John Lewis Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme, which has generated over £1.1m in year one.
- Online and in John Lewis and Waitrose stores from the end of December.
A stylish, bold tote bag, designed by a Care Experienced student, is now available online and in John Lewis and Waitrose stores, aiming to raise more donations for the Partnership’s Building Happier Futures programme.
18-year old Michael Archibald applied to collaborate with the John Lewis Partnership and creative agency Saatchi & Saatchi, and was selected by Who Cares? Scotland as an individual with bags of potential where he was invited to put his mark on a new product. Michael worked with the in-house design team and creative partners at Saatchi & Saatchi to create his unique design, including a one-on-one workshop in Glasgow.
Michael’s bag is the first item in a range which will be available in John Lewis and Waitrose shops and online, and aims to create opportunities for talented designers who are Care Experienced. The collaborative design-led project will see more products launch throughout 2024 and beyond.
Commenting on the design of the tote bag, Michael Archibald, said:
"The stars on the bag represent the brilliance of Care Experienced people, and the surrounding clouds depict the love, care and respect these individuals need.
“Creative industries are such a competitive field and being given the chance to create a product that is actually my own design - and see it physically in store - is an amazing experience. It’s made me feel like I’m able to go places.”
Sharon White, John Lewis Partnership Chairman, said:
“The launch of this truly unique and special design is a symbol of the brilliantly talented Care Experienced people out there that deserve a platform and an opportunity to show their skills.
“This design reflects a poignant and unique story, and it will also give customers the opportunity to purchase beautiful products that have meaning behind them.”
Queralt Ferrer, John Lewis Director of Design for Fashion, said:
“We set out to design a tote bag, but beyond that, our brief to Michael was very open. We could see he has a keen eye for aesthetics, and the ability to create authentic and captivating designs. His eye-catching final design effectively conveys a wonderful message - the stars symbolise the individuals growing up in care, surrounded by the support that the program provides.”
Made from recycled bottles, the new shopper bag is available online and in Waitrose and John Lewis stores. Profits from each £12 bag sold will go to Action for Children, Home-Start UK and Who Cares? Scotland.
Notes to Editors:
About Building Happier Futures:
The Building Happier Futures employment programme is an ongoing scheme to identify and recruit talented people who’ve experienced care to become Partners at the John Lewis Partnership. The programme includes work experience, guidance on CV writing and interview skills, as well as a guaranteed interview, this approach gives young people who are Care Experienced an opportunity to truly explore our business and start a meaningful career.
Read the Impact report on the Building Happier Futures programme here.
Further information:
In the last year the Building Happier Futures programme has:
- Already generated over £1.1m in donations across the John Lewis Partnership, with over 125,000 charity-related products sold.
- Engaged over 180 young people with experience of the care system who took part in employability programmes, with 21 offered jobs in the Partnership.
In the last year, the John Lewis Partnership became the first large retailer to receive a Fostering Friendly accreditation from the Fostering Network, contributed to a new Inclusive Employers Toolkit launched at the Care Leavers Covenant, and recently extended foster leave policies to include support for kinship carer Partners.
This builds on further successes including the roll out of Care Experience training for everyone who works in the Partnership, transferring £1.1m of unspent Apprenticeship levy to charities, and donating over 1,120 microwaves to young people starting up in their new homes and more.
