Retail Recap: The important openings and partnerships of April 2023
As April comes to a close, the retail sector reflects on an overall steady month. In particular, premium brands are experiencing a growth in sales as shoppers look for quality over quantity, despite the continuing cost-of-living crisis.
Easter Weekend and Good Friday saw more people heading out to bricks-and-mortar retail, with footfall increasing across the UK. However, the pendulum quickly swung in the opposite direction as the weather took a turn with April showers.
Throughout the month, there has been a mixed bag of trading updates shared from companies including Kering, Primark and Crocs.
TheIndustry.fashion has curated a list of the retail stores that have opened this month, as well as a number of partnerships from businesses including Lacoste, Mulberry and Prada.
Store Openings
Cult LA-based brand Varley set to open its first UK global flagship
Loungewear and activewear label Varley, which uses patented fabrics to enhance performance, announced that its first global flagship store is set to open on London’s King’s Road this summer.
OG Kicks opened its first London store in Carnaby
OG Kicks, which is described as “the place to buy, sell and trade premium sneakers” – many of which are highly sought-after and sold out elsewhere – opened a new store at 19-21 Foubert’s Place in London’s Carnaby.
Womenswear sales at Footasylum helped drive new store expansion plans
Footasylum began planning a series of new store openings and upsizings across the UK in the year ahead, driven by a notable increase in demand for womenswear. Footasylum will be targeting new store openings throughout 2023. The first of those to be confirmed is in Watford, Hertfordshire, which will open in Q3 2023.
Rixo opened the new 'House of Rixo' flagship store on King's Road
As womenswear label Rixo entered its 8th year, the brand opened a flagship store on London's King’s Road, bringing back its print-led contemporary designs to the historic area. Rixo's new store replaces its previous location on King's Road and follows the opening of other stores on Marlyebone High Street and Carnaby Street.
Hai brought its satin accessories to London in its first-ever UK pop-up
Womenswear and accessory label Hai, renowned for its array of neutral and candyfloss-coloured satin mini bags, announced its first-ever UK pop-up in London’s Shoreditch.
Urban Outfitters opened 'Summer Dress Shop' pop-up in London
Urban Outfitters opened a new pop-up store at London’s Kings Road, dedicated to a "celebration of summer and design". Open from 27 April until the end of summer, the 275 sq ft pop-up has been transformed into a "true Urban Outfitters space" that showcases the retailer's full dress range.
Foot Locker upsized store at St Anns Shopping Centre
Pension managers Railpen announced that global sneaker and apparel retailer Foot Locker signed at St Anns Shopping Centre for its new Harrow flagship in an effort to boost sales. Foot Locker is upsizing to a 4,100 sq ft unit located adjacent to the main entrance of St Anns Shopping Centre.
Gramicci selected London for its first global store
Located at 3 Earlham Street, the 1,400 sq ft store will stock the brand’s range of outdoor fashion. Designed with movement in mind, Gramicci’s apparel is inspired by its climbing heritage, providing "minimalist, hard-wearing and functional" outerwear.
Kering exceeded UK rent record with YSL’s new Bond Street store
Kering is set to pay a record-breaking £13 million rent after agreeing to a lease for a new Yves Saint Laurent store on Bond Street. The company will reportedly pay out over £13 million per year for the six-story central London property.
Eyewear brand Ace & Tate expands across the UK with five new stores
Ace & Tate’s rapid expansion, averaging one store opening per month, highlights a strong demand across the United Kingdom for its eyewear. The brand promises to deliver high-quality and sustainable on-trend eyewear.
Monsoon celebrated 50th anniversary with launch of vintage pop-up on Portobello Road
Monsoon launched a vintage pop-up boutique at 237 Portobello Road in London, the road where it all began for the retailer with a market stall 50 years ago this month.
Nike took final space in old Topshop unit at Manchester Arndale with new concept
Nike is gearing to open a 13,418 sq ft store at Manchester Arndale shopping centre this year, in the last remaining space of the former Topshop unit, and the first for the brand in the city - with its new digitally focused Nike Rise concept.
Set across two floors, the new store will join Sports Direct, Hollister, Gilly Hicks and Tommy Jeans at Manchester Arndale – one of the UK’s largest city centre shopping malls.
Boardies debuted Selfridges "Surf Shack" pop-up
Swimwear specialist Boardies opened a “Surf Shack” pop-up with Selfridges, with the brand taking over a section of the kidswear department in the Oxford Street flagship store.
UNIQLO unveils its joint store with Theory in Covent Garden
UNIQLO and Theory’s joint store in the heart of Covent Garden opened its doors to the public, unveiling three expansive floors in a grade II-listed former carriage hall.
Having already opened a flagship joint UNIQLO and Theory store on London's Regent Street last spring, parent company Fast Retailing officially opened its second joint location this month.
M&S drove forward with £23m investment in London portfolio as new Croydon store opens
Marks & Spencer opened a new 38,000 sq ft store in Croydon’s Purley Way, and it announced a £12.5 million investment in stores across London for the year ahead.
That will create 200 jobs and double the total new square footage achieved in its store estate in the capital last year.
Tommy Hilfiger upsized at Icon Outlet after reporting "stellar" trading results
American fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger upsized its store by over 110% at the Icon Outlet at The O2. This news follows strong Q1 trading results for both the brand and shopping destination.
Partnerships
Harrods transformed café into a Prada lover’s paradise
Harrods swapped out its signature green hue, and decked its café space in Prada’s signature mint green shade, transforming its dining area into a fashion lover’s paradise reminiscent of its famous boutiques.
Zara partnered with Wallpaper* launched travel guides curated during lockdown
Raising brand awareness through coffee table flick-throughs, Zara joined forces with Wallpaper* to launch a series of travel guides for five off-the-beaten-track adventures.
Lacoste launched fantastical collection inspired by Netflix’s hit shows
Sportswear giant Lacoste joined forces with world-leading streaming service Netflix to create a capsule collection inspired by its most-popular TV series.
ESSĒN The Label partnered with the sustainable platform Renoon
Eco-conscious footwear brand ESSĒN The Label took its transparency and traceability to a whole new level by collaborating with sustainability platform Renoon for Earth Day. Renoon is a shopping platform that empowers shoppers to get all the information they may need to make responsible choices before they buy.
Weekday, Monki and Cheap Monday joined forces to create new 'youth destination'
Weekday will form the umbrella of the destination, which will also see H&M Group's Monki brand incorporated into the unit.
The Sindiso Khumalo x & Other Stories vibrant collab arrived
Global fashion retailer & Other Stories collaborated with the "unapologetically bold, bright and feminine" South African brand Sindiso Khumalo. 2015-founded Sindiso Khumalo is known for its colour and prints, sustainable textiles and a strong emphasis on African history.
INUIKII collaborated with British knitwear designer Niamh Emily Foster
Sustainable Swiss-based footwear brand INUIKII partnered with British knitter and fashion designer Niamh Emily Foster to create a limited-edition collection for SS23.
The collection, which is made up of hand-knitted sweaters and sneakers, was conceptualised through experimenting with yarn, mohair and leather to create avant-garde creations.
Mulberry x Axel Arigato: British heritage met Swedish minimalism
The capsule marries "Axel Arigato’s effortless Scandinavian minimalism and Mulberry’s timeless British aesthetic", in a collaboration that celebrates both brands’ shared values of community and contemporary culture.
Baracuta’s G9 Harrington underwent a Junya Watanabe rework for SS23
Launched on 21 April, during this Baracuta’s 85th anniversary year, Watanabe’s expertise and creativity resulted in a new oversized silhouette with a navy shell and orange hood with white drawstrings.
Kipling collaborated with eclectic designer Minju Kim
Kipling spotlights playful prints courtesy of Seoul-born fashion designer Minju Kim in a collaborative collection of handbags and accessories.
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