R.M.Williams accelerates UK expansion as demand for heritage footwear grows

R.M.Williams is ramping up its UK retail expansion as British demand for heritage footwear and repairable luxury continues to rise, following three consecutive years of double-digit growth in the market.

The Australian bootmaker expects UK turnover to exceed £15 million by 2026 and will open a series of new stores in early 2026, bringing its total UK footprint to eight standalone locations.

The latest phase of expansion began with the opening of a store in Bath in November 2025, followed by Edinburgh in January. A London flagship is set to open at the end of March in one of the capital’s established menswear districts, with Guildford scheduled to follow in early April.

The UK rollout forms part of R.M.Williams’ broader global retail strategy. By April 2026, the brand’s total retail estate will sit just shy of 70 standalone doors, spanning 65 stores in Australia, four in New Zealand and a growing international presence. Annual global sales are expected to exceed A$300 million (£152 million), with an estimated annual customer footfall of more than 10 million.

While modest in scale compared to its domestic market, the UK has emerged as a key growth territory for the brand, driven by renewed interest in long-lasting, repairable products and heritage craftsmanship.

"Building a long-standing connection with the UK is incredibly important for this next chapter," says Paul Grossman, CEO of R.M.Williams. "Each new store allows us to share the craftsmanship, heritage and authenticity that define our brand with communities that value quality and tradition."

Unlike many global footwear brands, R.M.Williams has retained a fully vertically integrated manufacturing model. Every pair of boots is produced in Adelaide, South Australia, passing through 88 pairs of hands.

Founder Reginald Murray ("RM") Williams developed his early designs while working in the Australian outback, where equipment needed to withstand extreme conditions and be repaired rather than replaced. That principle remains central to the brand’s positioning today, particularly as consumers become more sceptical of fast fashion.

The UK expansion follows R.M.Williams’ return to Australian ownership in 2020, when private investment group Tattarang acquired the business. Since the acquisition, the company has increased investment in local manufacturing capacity and workforce development. In October 2025, R.M.Williams opened a second workshop in Adelaide, increasing production capacity by approximately 90%.