Amanda Scott, John Lewis’s head of buying for beauty and accessories, has been appointed to head a new venture between Ocado Group subsidiary Speciality Stores and Marie Claire, the fashion glossy magazine owned by publisher Time Inc.

Full details of the venture are still under wraps but The Grocer understands a dedicated stand-alone website selling Marie Claire-branded beauty products and perfumes will be established using Ocado infrastructure, and bricks-and-mortar stores that will also make use of the Marie Claire brand.

Speciality Stores already has access to Ocado’s technology and logistics platform for the purpose of developing new general merchandise retailers, such as Sizzle.co.uk, a kitchen and dining store and Fetch.co.uk, which sells pet products.

Scott spearheaded John Lewis’s impressive growth in the beauty category in recent years and Marie Claire regards bagging her as a coup. She will be managing director of the new venture, working closely with Marie Claire’s publishing director, Justine Southall, who remarked on Scott’s “talent”.

Scott said she was delighted to have the opportunity to lead the new venture.  “The trust consumers have in this brand gives it natural leverage to move into retail, particularly within this category. Together with the multimillion pound investment and backing of Ocado, this partnership will combine to provide the consumer with a unique proposition and a seamless customer experience,” she said.

Much of the new venture is still shrouded in secrecy with Time Inc. refusing to say how many stores would open, what they would be called and when the new operation would go live.

James Matthews, commercial director of Speciality Stores, said: “We are really excited by the partnership with Marie Clare, and collectively we are confident we can bring something fresh and unique to the beauty retail marketplace which will inspire customers.”

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