Abercrombie & Fitch opens second UK store at Intu Trafford Centre

Abercrombie & Fitch has opened the doors of its second UK store at the Intu Trafford Centre; the new store comes more than a decade after it opened its first UK store in London's Mayfair.

The 5,554 sq ft flagship site is one of eight new prototype stores that have been completed since the initial launch of the design in February 2017, and only the second location outside of the US following an opening in Hong Kong.

Abercrombie & Fitch says the new prototype has demonstrated improved customer engagement and productivity on a smaller footprint, was designed to encourage product trial while providing the customer with a new vision of the A&F brand.

Key features of the format include innovative fitting rooms with thoughtful amenities designed to enhance the customer’s mood, including separate controls for light and music, as well as a phone charging dock. Select fitting rooms act as private suites to accommodate larger groups of friends and families.

Checkouts have also been installed throughout the store to enable a quicker and more accessible payment experience.

Stacia Andersen, Brand President of Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids, said: "We are delighted to unveil our new store design in the UK for the first time, in the fashion-forward and vibrant city of Manchester. Customers old and new will discover A&F’s evolved brand experience and collections, in a space designed to deliver a seamless experience across all our platforms.”

Colin Flinn, regional managing director at intu, added: “intu’s high footfall, experience-based destinations are popular locations for international brands looking to thrive within new areas of the UK. Abercrombie & Fitch’s new store has been carefully designed to give intu Trafford Centre shoppers even more to enjoy as part of their big day out at the centre.”

Work is also underway on a £75m transformation of intu Trafford Centre’s Barton Square which will gain a new glass-domed roof and a fully redesigned interior. The project is due for completion in 2020.