In Review 2022: Store openings, refurbs and expansions
2022 has seen a lot of change in the fashion and retail industry, with several high profile businesses opening new retail locations, incorporating new technology, and refurbishing stores.
As we approach 2023, TheIndustry.fashion has curated a list of the top ten important updates and openings from the past year. Each headline directs to further information on the appointment.
Battersea Power Station
Battersea Power Station opens to the public
Nearly 40 years after the London icon turned its lights off, Battersea Power Station reopened in October, opening to the public for the first time. Visitors are free to explore the restored landmark and enjoy the first of its unique shops, bars, restaurants and leisure venues.
Electric Boulevard, a new pedestrianised high street, running between Gehry Partners’ Prospect Place to the Zone 1 London Underground Station, also opened.
One notable store opening was Zara's new flagship store. The tech-driven store, which at 4,500sqm is Zara's largest commercial space in the UK, offers womenswear, menswear, home and childrenswear in a new format, which marks the Spanish giant's proposed approach to larger stores globally.
Another key store was Superdry's 5,676 sq. ft store on the ground floor, joining the first tranche of over 100 shops, bars, restaurants, and leisure venues.
Read TheIndustry.fashion's interview with Sam Cotton, Head of Leasing at Battersea Power Station.
Nike opens new Nike Rise concept at Westfield London
Sportswear and footwear giant Nike upgraded its presence at Westfield London, providing local sports enthusiasts with a series of new and innovative digital experiences and services.
Westfield London is the first Nike location in EMEA to launch its proprietary digital platform Sport Pulse, which enables real-time, responsive and localised sport stories. The LED screens at the entrance provide data-led storytelling which is informed by real-time sport moments in the city and Nike’s activity apps NTC and NRC, to inspire the athletes to move.
Gymshark opens debut store on Regent Street
Gymshark went big with its first bricks & mortar store, taking a 18,000 sq ft premium retail unit on London's Regent Street.
The store stays trues to Gymshark's roots and is designed to foster a spirit of community among its millennial consumer base with fitness classes, expert advice, and an events space for staging podcasts, panel talks and screenings.
Read TheIndustry.fashion's interview with Gymshark Founder and CEO, Ben Francis.
Alteratively, read TheIndustry.fashion's interview with Gymshark's Chief Brand Officer, Noel Mack.
Coca-Cola Covent Garden store
Coca-Cola opens fashion concept store in London's Covent Garden
Coca-Cola launched its first flagship concept store in London in April. Located on Long Acre, Covent Garden, the retail destination is the first of its kind in Europe, offering a range of limited-edition apparel collections, exclusive designer collaborations, gift items, and unique drinks.
It was later rumoured that the store would close before 2023.
The joint Uniqlo and Theory store on Regent Street
Uniqlo unveils new store concept on Regent Street
Regent Street boasted another significant opening this year in the form of Fast Retailing's joint Uniqlo and Theory store in the home of the former Superdry flagship (which was moved to Oxford Street).
Regent Street was the location of Uniqlo's first store outside of its home market in Japan some 20 years ago, so it this felt like a welcome return and a strong statement of its commitment to the UK market.
Co-located with its stablemate Theory, the store showcases some of the historic location's unique architectural features and includes a range of experiences and services such as a Repair Studio and coffee shop, as well as displays from local artists.
Foot Locker expands and adds new tech at Westfield Stratford
Foot Locker opened an expanded 10,000 sq m store at Westfield Stratford, offering an "elevated retail experience" designed to inspire youth culture and build communities. The new store combines premium product and elevated in-store presentations, as well as enhanced technology driven customer experiences and events.
Customers can also interact with the store through the digital virtual world with a Striper bot, who travels across the store by appearing on screens across the two floors. Guests can also take part in interactive games, hosted on a high-fidelity curvy LED wall, for the chance to compete against players from across Europe and win prizes.
Del Core opens flagship store on London’s New Bond Street
Luxury Italian fashion house Del Core, which was founded by designer Daniel Del Core in Milan in 2020, opened a 7,610 sq ft flagship store spanning three floors at 123/124 New Bond Street in the heart of London’s Mayfair.
The space is defined by a pale shade of bone, Del Core’s signature colour. A large window overlooks New Bond Street, while access to the boutique is through a full-height glass door with marble handles.
Naked Wolfe New Bond Street flagship store in London
Naked Wolfe opens debut store on New Bond Street
The debut store launch is a testament to the rapid growth of the brand, which has amassed over 1.2 million followers in the last 5 years and gained a cult-like status among the Gen Z demographic. Naked Wolfe is now stocked in globally renowned luxury retailers such as Selfridges, Harrods, Browns, Neiman Marcus and Saks.
Read TheIndustry.fashion's interview with Naked Wolfe Co-founders, Bronte and Cody Mance.
Loake opens new flagship shop on London’s Jermyn Street
British shoemakers Loake opened a new 1,380 sq ft flagship store at 83 Jermyn Street in the heart of London’s St James’s, adding to its smaller existing store at 39C in Prince’s Arcade, which connects Piccadilly to Jermyn Street.
It marks the sixth Loake opening since the start of the pandemic in 2020, taking the brand’s UK and Ireland store portfolio to 25.
H&M opens "world first" store at Manchester's Trafford Centre
H&M opened the doors of a brand new retail concept at Manchester's Trafford Centre, showcasing a number of new features and services and marking the retailer's commitment to investing in stores outside of London.
The 29,202 sq ft store features an open façade, removing its windows, which is world-first store design for the global fashion giant. It also includes the hotly anticipated H&M Home, tech-enabled Click & Collect points and self service checkouts.
Gap at NEXT, Oxford Street
Gap makes physical return at Next’s Oxford Street flagship
Gap marked its return to the British high street with the opening of the first Gap concession at Next's flagship store in London.
Located at 120 Oxford Street, the 4,000 sq ft Gap concession offers a curated collections of everyday essentials including denim, fleece, khakis, shirts and Gap logo products across menswear, womenswear and kidswear. A customisation shop offering embroidery, badging and monogramming will also be available to all Gap customers.
Tessuti opens global flagship at Liverpool ONE
Liverpool ONE has seen a host of new retail openings in 2022. One prime example is the opening of designer retailer Tessuti, who opened its global flagship store. The new flagship spans two floors measuring 22,000 sq ft and features an extensive range of designer menswear, womenswear, and kidswear collections.
Local and established businesses including including Svara Radio, Oatly, and Revive Juices confirmed residencies in the Tessuti store, which houses coveted brands including Moose Knuckles, Vivienne Westwood, and Michael Kors.
Flannels opens new stores across the UK & Republic of Ireland
Frasers Group opened a number of Flannels stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland in 2022, most recently its first store in the ROI. The new 30,000 sq ft store offers a selection of menswear, womenswear, childrenswear, and accessories.
The space features luxury brands including Givenchy, Burberry, Tom Ford and Versace, as well as streetwear brands such as Stone Island, Casablanca, Off-White, and Amiri. In addition to fashion, the store offers Flannels Beauty's edit of luxury fragrance, from brands including Creed, Hermes, Jimmy Choo, and Moncler.
Main image: (L-R) Battersea Power Station, Foot Locker, Gap, Gymshark
