Retail Recap: The important openings and partnerships in June 2022

June marked a period of upheaval for the UK retail landscape, which saw retailers given a jubilee lift amid the stark cost-of-living crunch and UK consumer confidence falling to its lowest level for nearly 50 years.

Despite footfall across all UK retail destinations surging by 45.6% over the extended Jubilee weekend, the exuberance in the Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the sunny weather were unable to outweigh the worsening cost of living crisis.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed inflation has reached a fresh 40-year high of 9.1% amid fears a large drop in consumer spending may tip the UK into a recession. However, the lifting of Coronavirus travel rules has led to a 27-fold year-on-year increase in the number of overseas residents visiting the UK.

Here is a list of the all the stores that have opened and shut this month, as well as a look at commercial real-estate deals and new franchise agreements.

Store Openings

Swedish retail giants H&M and IKEA launched its first joint retail venture, Atelier100 at Livat Hammersmith, West London. The space aims to showcase local designers, makers and manufacturers living within 100km of central London, and acts as a hub for the Atelier100 creative community to host workshops, talks and events.

New York-based fashion brand Aimé Leon Dore opened its first international flagship store in London's Soho district. The new two-storey store on 32 Broadwick Street features café offering Greek-inspired snacks, pastries and coffee while the top floor gives VIP visitors access to a private lounge with a curated selection of vinyl records.

Alice + Olivia by Stacey Bendet opened its first UK store in London's Mayfair district, marking the brand's 18th international retail site. Located on Bruton Street in a historic Georgian building, the store offers a range of ready-to-wear clothing and accessories as well as its "mommy and me" collaboration with Dotty Dungarees.

Flannels opened the doors to its new Braehead Shopping Centre store, the Frasers Group-owned designer retailer’s fifth store in Glasgow. The retailer also opened its Liverpool flagship at 15 Parker Street, which fuses retail and leisure under one roof, with a blend of top brands, dining options, and in-house experiences.

Abercrombie & Fitch-owned Gilly Hicks opened a standalone store at 39 Carnaby Street, the brand's first solo retail location in the UK. The new store, offering activewear, loungewear and underwear, is part of the brand’s growth strategy, including an expanded product assortment, digital experience, and a reimagined brand purpose.

Hugo Boss opened its new flagship BOSS store on London's Oxford Street, introducing the brand's first full suite of "bespoke" digital elements. Spanning two floors, the store's digital elements begin with interactive window displays, while a social media wall offers shoppers a digital shopping experience.

JD Sports opened a new 18,000 sq ft flagship store at the Metrocentre in Gateshead, its largest store to date in the North East. Shoppers who spend more than £100 in-store from now until Saturday 9 July will be in with a shot at winning flights, a stay at the Ibiza Rocks hotel and much sought after tickets to the JD Pool Party in Ibiza for them and three friends.

Store Closure

Jigsaw revealed a return of profits after closing almost a quarter of its stores over the year, reducing its portfolio from 56 to 43 for the year ending January 2022. The retailer also began selling via Next and Marks & Spencer's online platforms as well as on on Shopify Plus as part of its new “digital-first” strategy.

Partnerships

Burberry extended its partnership with LA-based Mythical Games to launch a unique branded gaming experience to players of Blankos Block Party. Players in the game can compete in a variety of mini games, collect and blend digital vinyl toys called Blankos and earn digital items through gameplay in the form of NFTs.

Timberland has introduced a new metaverse experience with online video game Fortnite, created in partnership with Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and ConceptKicks. The virtual space houses Timberland's Design Lab and Maker Space, a re-creation of the brand’s real-world innovation lab, offering a rare glimpse into its footwear innovation and design process.

Farfetch has unveiled its first iteration of Farfetch Beat, a year-round concept retail series offering exclusive product collaborations with progressive voices in fashion and culture. The first drop introduces New York City-based fashion labels Opening Ceremony and Peter Do, which brings together two generations of Asian creativity, built upon shared, intrinsic values to put family first, share cultural pride, and challenge the status quo in the fashion industry.

Bundlee announced it is expanding its clothing service to footwear through an exclusive partnership with British footwear company Vivobarefoot. In addition to Vivobarefoot shoes, customers can rent from sustainable brands including Patagonia, Mori, Little Riley Studio and Mini Rodini, as well as Bundlee Originals.

International sandwich store Pret a Manger recently unveiled a new fashion collaboration with popular designers Richard Quinn, Ashish and Daniel w. Fletcher. The limited edition collection features silk scarves that celebrate the launch of Pret's new spring salads.

Harry Styles and Gucci's Creative Director Alessandro Michele have collaborated on a new capsule collection for Gucci. Unveiled during the menswear shows at Milan Fashion Week, Gucci HA HA HA is inspired by the duo's friendship and creative journeys.

AMC and Andy Murray has revealed a new performance focused Championship Collection ahead of the Wimbledon tennis tournament, taking place between 27 June – 10 July 2022.

Fenwick and luxury rental service Front Row London have partnered to launch an exclusive rental service in the department store’s Bond Street store. The offer covers couture, ready-to-wear and occasionwear pieces, as well as top trends “straight off the runway”, with prices starting from £42.

Secret Shopper

Secret Shopper: Robert Goddard, Hitchin

TheIndustry.fashion visited Robert Goddard at Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Selling premium branded women’s, men’s and childrenswear, the independent clothing business now has a total of nine stores, plus online, with a 10th opening in Newbury, this summer.

Secret Shopper: Chanel’s London flagship on Bond Street

TheIndustry.fashion visited Chanel’s London flagship on Bond Street. Find out more about how the outrageously expensive experience in an outrageously expensive store measures up to a true luxury experience in 2022.