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News
Freshly Cosmetics announces its first flagship beauty store in the UK
Spanish beauty brand, Freshly Cosmetics, have announced that they will be opening a standalone beauty store this November, situated in the heart of London’s bustling Carnaby Street.
Freshly Store London will be the fourth store in the plant-based beauty brand’s retail portfolio. Its interior promises to be a tangible representation of Freshly’s commitment to sustainability and has been created using sustainable and recycled materials in collaboration with Valencian design studio CuldeSac.
The store’s design echoes the modern vivacity and exuberance that radiates from Freshly’s e-commerce site and has adopted the iconic curve feature that is also present in its existing stores and that reflects its personality as a brave and cornerless brand. RF
Bluewater signs local independent brands to new concept
Landsec has announced a new retail concept for Bluewater, which will showcase an array of independent brands within a dedicated space. The project is a partnership between Landsec, the local trade organisation, Produced in Kent, and its members.
The 2,000 sq ft store is set to be at Bluewater for six months, featuring dedicated demonstration spaces, tasting stations and other interactive features. It will work on a rotating basis and regularly introduce new brands, to keep the destination’s and concept’s offer fresh and exciting for guests, and to provide a physical platform for as many brands as possible.
Several businesses have been introduced, including Shepherd Neame, Kent Crisps, Kentish Pip, Maidstone Distillery, Coffee Bean Shop, Fudge Kitchen and Meopham Valley Vineyard with more looking to join this year.
‘Making the everyday, colourful’ is a retail experience that brings the colourful side of KitchenAid to life in a physical environment and is a play on their ‘Making Moments Unforgettable’ campaign. KitchenAid wants to celebrate how their unique product range can make the everyday colourful, fun and memorable whilst demonstrating all the wonderful possibilities that come with their diverse range.
The team of KitchenAid gurus will be on hand throughout November at Bluewater shopping centre to demonstrate the range of products to keen cooks, bakers or those that are looking for the ultimate present this Christmas.
Design agency Backlash worked with KitchenAid for the new retail initiative for the brand. RF
Great Portland Estates has announced its 8,400 sq ft Medici Courtyard is due to officially open to the public later this month. Located at the centre of Hanover, GPE’s latest 221,500 sq ft mixed-use development – owned by the joint venture GHS Limited Partnership – Medici Courtyard will be one of the first public courtyards to open in Mayfair for more than a century. The newly created courtyard opens as Hanover prepares to welcome a string of new retailers and occupiers.
The 1.3-acre mixed-use development includes 167,500 sq ft of brand-new grade A offices, 40,000 sq ft of new retail units predominantly facing New Bond Street and six luxury residential apartments. No. 20 Hanover Square – which is one of Mayfair’s last surviving Grade II-listed buildings – is now officially home to the new London Fashion Academy supported by luxury footwear designer, Jimmy Choo. Students of the academy will have the opportunity to showcase their work in one of GPE’s new luxury retail units that forms part of the Hanover scheme. RF
Creative Design & Display Connections
The organisers behind the Creative Retail Awards have launched the inaugural Creative Design & Display Connections (CDDC) meet the buyer event. To be held in February 2022 at Bounce Old Street in London, the event consists of 10 prematched one-to-one meetings between buyers and suppliers over the course of the day. With Supplier entry from just £1,750 + VAT, the event could provide the highest ever ROI for companies at this difficult trading period. Approved delegates receive free entry. www.cddconnections.com
WINNERS ANNOUNCED at 2021 CREATIVE RETAIL AWARDS - SEE PAGE 50
OMEGA opens its largest franchise boutique in the UK at Liverpool ONE
Grosvenor Britain & Ireland (GBI) has announced the opening of OMEGA’s largest franchise boutique in the UK on Liverpool ONE’s upper South John Street. Created in partnership with David M Robinson, the new 2,000 sq ft store showcases OMEGA’s Speedmaster, Constellation, Seamaster and De Ville collections for men and women, and is an authorised repair centre.
The boutique features a number of unique elements, including a bar and an innovative changeable lighting system to help create different ambiences in the store. In another first, the boutique makes use of OMEGA’s own fragrance in the showroom airconditioning system. Multi-sensory merchandising is increasingly important in bricks and mortar retail, adding to the experience and appeal for consumers visiting physical stores.
Sunspel Womenswear pop-up opens in Carnaby
Shaftesbury has announced the launch of the first Sunspel Womenswear pop-up in Carnaby for the winter, located on Upper James Street, Carnaby.
The British luxury brand has been handcrafting garments in the UK for over 160 years, and womenswear has become a growing part of its range over the past ten years. This will be the brand’s first stand-alone womenswear store. The store boasts a spacious 927 sq ft. The pop-up’s interior is created by renowned British furniture and interior designer Fred Rigby Studio, and will feature bespoke furniture and soft touches to produce an environment that reflects the Sunspel brand.
Located in historic Upper James Street, a short walk away from Oxford Circus and the world famous Carnaby Street, the pop up will run from 28 October 2021 to January 2022.
www.retail-focus.co.uk/news
Johnstons of Elgin brings luxury craftsmanship to Kildare Village
Johnstons of Elgin, the luxury Scottish Cashmere and fine Woollens manufacturer, has launched its debut outlet store at Kildare Village in Ireland.
The new Johnstons of Elgin boutique will employ 10 members of staff and span across 1,377 sq ft, stocking recent collections from the label’s flagship stores on Multrees Walk in Edinburgh and New Bond Street in London.
George McNeil, Managing Director Retail at Johnstons of Elgin, said: “As our brand evolves, we have developed our retail presence and decided that Kildare Village was the ideal location for our first official retail outlet site. We are delighted to be working with Kildare Village, one of the most exclusive outlet villages in Europe, and look forward to taking our brand offering to Ireland.
“Our products are made with the upmost care by a team of talented craftspeople at our mills in Elgin and Hawick and the store will stock a range of our luxury Cashmere and fine woolen items. I’m pleased that visitors to Kildare Village will now be able to discover our brand and the story of our rich Scottish heritage.”
Ikea buys former Topshop Oxford Street store
Ikea is buying the former Topshop flagship store on London’s Oxford Street for £378 million. The 214 Oxford Street property will now have Ikea’s smaller format store with a selection of its accessories, furniture and a planning studio across roughly a third of the building’s 22,200 square metres over seven floors. It now plans to open Ikea Oxford Street in autumn 2023.
Tesco launches checkout-free high street store
Tesco has launched its first checkout-free high street store where shoppers can pick up their groceries and leave without the need for a till.
It is the latest retail giant to open a store where checkouts are replaced by high-tech cameras designed to track the items shoppers place in their baskets. The firm’s high street store trial, which it has called GetGo, launched in High Holborn in October. Tesco had already been testing its “frictionless” technology at a trial site within the supermarket group’s headquarters in Welwyn Garden City since 2019.
JD Sports signs up for flagship at Lion Walk Colchester
CBRE Investment Management has announced the signing of sports fashion retailer JD Sports in a new flagship store at Lion Walk in Colchester, set to open this October.
Lion Walk’s retail offering has continued to grow over the last two years under new management, with a range of major high street brands joining the scheme. Despite the pandemic, the Centre is currently at its highest ever occupancy and footfall, attracting 180,000 customers per week. RF
