Retail Recap: The important openings and partnerships of May 2023
As May comes to a close, the retail sector reflects on a better-than-expected month. Highstreet saw increased footfalls, thanks to sunny bank holidays and the King's coronation.
Throughout the month, there has been a mixed bag of trading updates shared from companies including Chanel, Urban Outfitters, Farfetch and TK Maxx.
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 ASOS, Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing.
Store Openings
Nike Unite made its regional debut at West Midlands' Merry Hill
Sovereign Centros announced that Nike Unite, the community-focused branch of Nike, has opened at Merry Hill, one of the UK’s top 10 retail and leisure destinations.
Canada Goose's sustainable ethos is at the heart of its new Dublin store
Performance luxury retailer Canada Goose brought its winter-ready styles to Ireland’s flagship shopping destination, Grafton Street. The permanent location offers shoppers an experience that showcases the brand’s collection of performance luxury.
Oliver Bonas is bringing "British design to Bath"
Fashion and lifestyle chain Oliver Bonas announced that it will be opening a new 3,365 sq ft store on St. Lawrence Street, bringing British design to the historical city of Bath. The retail space, which is split over two floors, is set to open Saturday 10 June in the historic city.
Reiss' new store opening reaffirmed Centre:mk as leading retail hotspot
Premium fashion brand Reiss expanded its brick-and-mortar footprint with a new store at Centre:mk’s Grade II listed building in Milton Keynes, one of the top 10 retail destinations in the UK.
The new store, set to open on Silbury Arcade this summer, will be home to 1,884 sq ft of Reiss’ womenswear, menswear, accessories, and childrenswear.
Parisian fashion brand Rouje opened its first international store in London
Rouje, the Parisian fashion brand established by French designer and creative Jeanne Damas in 2016, has opened its first international store on London's South Molton Street.
The opening is described as the first step in a strategy to bring the brand to a global audience.
In Pictures: Cubitts new East London store in old eel, pie and mash shop
British spectacle maker Cubitts opened its 11th London store at 9 Broadway Market in East London’s Hackney, which plays on the history and architecture of the original building – something Cubitts has become known for.
Deichmann continued UK retail roll-out with new store at Salisbury’s Old George Mall
German footwear retailer Deichmann opened a new 6,000 sq ft store at 31-33 Old George Mall in Salisbury, as it continues its UK retail roll-out.
L'Estrange committed to pursuing degrowth in the fashion industry with its first biophilic store
L'Estrange opened its new store in Coal Drops Yard in London’s King’s Cross earlier this month. The space is rooted in the principles of biophilic design, combining natural textures and repurposed materials throughout.
A Day’s March announced plans to relocate and upsize Soho store
Swedish fashion brand A Day’s March is opening a new 2,700 sq foot store in a Grade II listed townhouse at 24 Berwick Street in London’s Soho in June 2023, almost seven times bigger than the current store it will be vacating at 39 Berwick Street (410 sq ft).
Premier League champions Manchester City opened a new club shop at Arndale Centre
Newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City announced the opening of a new club shop at the Manchester Arndale, 26 May, located in the former Pink unit.
In Pictures: Hollister opened new London flagship
Abercrombie & Fitch-owned brand Hollister opened a new flagship store in London's Soho, in addition to its nearby Regent Street flagship. The new store, located at Foubert’s Place, offers a range of men’s and women’s apparel and accessories
LVMH announced its Liverpool ONE debut with Tag Heuer luxury boutique
LVMH is debuting in Liverpool with its latest Tag Heuer and David M Robinson (DMR) joint concept boutique at Liverpool ONE shopping centre. The 3,600 sq ft boutique is in partnership with the Swiss watch brand, TAG Heuer, marking LVMH’s first partnership in the city.
Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein signed for Caledonia Park designer outlet village
PHV Corp. brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein signed for stores at Caledonia Park, Scotland’s premium designer outlet village, both set to open in late autumn 2023.
Hunza G opened the doors to its first-ever store in London's Covent Garden
Sustainable swimwear brand Hunza G, renowned for its swimsuits and bikinis crafted from signature seersucker fabric, opened its debut store in Seven Dials, Covent Garden. Hunza G first became known during the 1980s when Julia Roberts wore its cut-out mini dress in Pretty Woman.
Footasylum to open Oxford Street flagship
Footasylum announced planning to open a new flagship store on London's Oxford Street this year as demand for streetwear continues to soar. Located at 73-89 Oxford Street and due to open during the second half of the year, the store will trade across 20,000 sq ft over two floors.
Reformation took on its fifth London borough with Chelsea store opening
Global womenswear retailer Reformation is bringing its sustainable fashion and accessories to King’s Road, marking its fifth store opening in London.
Hayley Menzies opened a new boutique in Carnaby with glamour at the core
Contemporary luxury womenswear brand Hayley Menzies opened a new 640 sq ft boutique at 8 Newburgh Street in London’s Carnaby, showcasing “a cornucopia of colour, print and artisanal embellishment”, with glamourous looks very much at the forefront.
Anine Bing opened a new store in Covent Garden
LA-based women’s fashion brand Anine Bing has opened its third store in London, a 2,300 sq ft space at 9-11 Langley Court in Covent Garden. It adds to the store it opened at 3 Grosvenor Street in Mayfair in November 2018, and the store at 8 Symons Street in Chelsea in March 2022.
Mango revealed US store roll-out
Mango revealed plans to open 15 new stores across the US in 2023, one year on from the opening of its US flagship in New York. The move also comes on the back of strong online sales in the US with the new stores focused in particular in the west and the south of the country.
Zara set to upsize in Leeds as part of an "ongoing store optimisation"
The new 46,000 sq ft store will feature Zara's full range including women's, men's, and kids' collections. The space will showcase the latest technological innovations from Zara, integrating the online experience with brick-and-mortar retail.
Sports Direct doubled its retail presence at Glasgow’s Braehead Centre and added USC
Frasers Group upsized its Sports Direct store at the Braehead Centre in Glasgow to a 20,000 sq ft unit on the upper level – double the size of its previous 10,000 sq ft space. Meanwhile, it added a dedicated USC fashion area as well as GAME.
MOSS joined Manchester Arndale’s fashion-forward lineup
MOSS, the men's tailoring and occasion wear specialist, selected Manchester Arndale, Europe's third-largest city-based shopping centre, for its newest retail location. The 4,157 sq ft unit, on New Cannon Street, will join Sports Direct, Hollister, Gilly Hicks and Tommy Jeans at Manchester Arndale.
Pop-ups
In Pictures: alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet took over the Terrace at Harvey Nichols
US womenswear brand alice + olivia by Stacey Bendet celebrated all things floral with a "Secret Garden" takeover of the Terrace at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge.
Rotaro launched rental pop-up at Liberty
Rental platform Rotaro launched a pop-up on the first floor of Liberty inviting its fashion forward customers the chance to discover a curated line-up of occasion wear and emerging designers. Cult brands, such as ROTATE Birger Christensen, GANNI, The Vampire’s Wife, Jacquemus and Hai, are included in the contemporary offer.
Castore opened a pop-up outlet store in Ireland’s Kildare Village
The store offers Castore men’s, women’s, unisex and junior products at outlet prices, with offers starting at 33% off RRP.
Nobody’s Child announced plans to open not one, not two, but three summer pop-ups in London
Womenswear brand Nobody’s Child, renowned for its printed dresses, is expanding its physical presence with three pop-ups in London this summer. Following a year of significant growth, Nobody’s Child looks to continue its ongoing investment into physical retail.
Flannels launched a London pop-up for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour
Timed with Beyoncé's five-night residency at London's Tottenham Hotspur stadium, the Renaissance Flagship immerses "audiences deep into Renaissance's energy and storytelling" until 5 June 2023.
SHEIN unveiled EMEA pop-up plans as it opened Dublin HQ
Chinese fast fashion behemoth SHEIN revealed plans to open 30 pop-ups around the EMEA region in 2023 at the official opening of its new HQ in Dublin.
Sportswear brand On branched out of London with Liverpool ONE pop-up
Grosvenor announced that On, the innovative Swiss sportswear brand, launched its first-ever pop-up shop outside of London, joining Liverpool ONE’s line-up of 170 stores.
Partnerships
Charles Tyrwhitt partnered with LoweConex to help reduce carbon footprint
The move will see LoweConex rollout its cutting-edge asset management technology across heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in all UK Charles Tyrwhitt stores and distribution centres.
ASOS entered rental with Hirestreet partnership
Hirestreet, the affordable rental platform that offers everyday fashion, partnered with e-commerce giant ASOS to be its "most popular brand collaboration to date". Hirestreet’s customers can shop an edit of over 180 womenswear pieces, which are "focused on women’s occasionwear dressing".
In Pictures: Boohoo and Pantone joined forces in support of Mental Health Awareness Month
The Pantone x Boohoo collection is imagined in mood-enhancing colours to inspire a positive mindset, encouraging consumers to "connect emotionally through colour".
Boux Avenue championed women by partnering with CoppaFeel! and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust
Lingerie retailer, Boux Avenue, is offering customers the chance to donate to women-centric charities CoppaFeel! and Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust.
A-COLD-WALL* added Dr. Martens to its growing list of footwear collabs
Luxury streetwear brand A-COLD-WALL* announced a collaborative collection with Dr. Martens, just one week after joining forces with Timberland. The A-COLD-WALL* and Dr. Martens first collaborated on a successful footwear range in 2020. Now, the two brands paired up again to release a capsule collection of "classic silhouettes" married with "functional design".
Swatch championed Basquiat’s timeless artworks with new collaboration
This new collaboration marks the fifth collection of the Swatch Art Journey 2023, which is a project that focuses on the brand’s love of trailblazing artists through unique watch designs. What better artist to collaborate with than the contemporary, vibrant works of Basquiat?
Nautica expanded UK presence with Debenhams.com launch
Global lifestyle, apparel, footwear and accessories brand Nautica, which relaunched in the UK and EU last year, joined forces with online retailer Debenhams to expand its customer reach. The nautical-themed brand is now available to purchase through the online marketplace at debenhams.com, adding to its portfolio of third-party retailers including Asos.
PrettyLittleThing joined Kappa for '90's cool girl' collection
Kappa, which garnered popularity in the 1990s, quickly became the uniform for stars and civilians alike. Its "Omini" logo pictures the silhouette of a man and woman leaning against each other - representing the brand’s emphasis on equality.
Reskinned and River Island launched pre-loved scheme on eBay
High street retailer River Island launched an eBay shop selling pre-loved styles as part of a scheme with Reskinned to inspire consumers to shop second-hand.
In Pictures: George at Asda launches first-ever elevated fashion collection
George at Asda raised the stakes with the first-ever supermarket elevated fashion collection, which can be picked up in the aisles during weekly shops. The capsule collection comprises of timeless, quality pieces, crafted in the style of ‘quiet luxury’.
Dragon Ball Z was back in the spotlight with Lee and Criminal Damage collaborations
Dragon Ball Z, an anime series popularised in the '90s, regained popularity, exemplified by new collaborations with fashion brands Lee and Criminal Damage.
Bershka and FFFACE.ME launched the world's first semi-digital clothing collection
Global fashion retailer Bershka and AR filter creator FFFACE.ME joined forces to create the world’s first semi-digital clothing collection, fusing fashion and technology.
Features
- The Interview: Stephanie and Samantha Frost, Co-founders of Pretty Lavish
- Secret Shopper: Did Mugler x H&M warrant the hype?
- The Department Store Re-imagined: powering a true omni-experience
- In My View by Eric Musgrave: The UK is in a right royal mess
- In Depth: Liverpool ONE celebrates fifteen years
- It’s Not You, It’s ‘Re’: why some circular fashion businesses struggle to succeed
- Coronation fashion puts spotlight on British brands and sustainability
- Care and repair: how can bricks and mortar fashion stores make it work?
- It's time for a tax-free shopping U-turn, Mr Sunak
- The NEXT Connection: how the retail giant is taking control of the high street
- 'Mini Me': the high street's latest fashion phenomenon
- How outdoor brands can sustain the pandemic boom
