London is one of the fashion capitals of the world, with Fashion Week drawing international celebrities and fashion houses each year. It is hardly surprising, then, that three of the world’s top designers are now searching for retail properties in the city.
Christopher Kane, Roksanda Ilincic and Victoria Beckham are all in the process of acquiring flagship stores in upmarket Mayfair. All three are hoping to take advantage of both a thriving local consumer base and a near-constant flood of tourists seeking cutting-edge designs when visiting the capital.
Victoria Beckham, once a member of internationally renowned girl group the Spice Girls, has been making waves in the fashion world for the past few years. After designing a denim range for Rock & Republic, entitled VB Rocks, she launched her own denim line, dvb Style, and a range of fragrances in collaboration with footballer husband David, known as Intimately Beckham.
While she currently operates from headquarters located in Battersea, from which her online business is based, the search for a London store has been ongoing for several months. A label representative has now confirmed that the brand is now “in discussion” regarding the takeover of no. 36 Dover Street.
Should this become the location for Ms Beckham’s first London store, neighbours will include the famous Dover Street Market and legendary designer Alexander McQueen’s McQ store.
Roksanda Ilincic, meanwhile, has already signed the lease for 9 Mount Street. The store is located opposite Lanvin, and will add to the street’s impressive pedigree which includes stores operated by Christian Louboutin and Marc Jacobs.
Paul Souber of Briant Champion Long, the designer’s adviser, spoke of the decision to base the store in the Mayfair district.
He said; “London is creating new luxury shopping pitches around Mayfair, and Mount Street has been attracting a growing number of international luxury retailers.”
Finally, it has been confirmed that Christopher Kane is in the process of choosing the location for his London flagship store. However, as his brand is 51 per cent owned by French luxury goods group Kering, chief executive Alexandre de Brettes will have the final say upon the site.
It is thought that the designer currently wishes to examine options in the area surrounding Bond Street – presumably due to the street’s longstanding reputation as the prime high-end fashion location in London. Property agent Anthony Selwyn, of Savills, believes that nearby streets provide up-and-coming designers with the scope for creative stores.
He says; “While Bond Street will always maintain its positioning as ‘super prime’, a number of fast-maturing streets including Conduit, Albermarle and Dover are capturing the imagination of young designers.”
With rents consistently rising in the city and consumers once more beginning to splash out on luxuries, this could well be the perfect time for designers to examine their options in London’s most fashionable boroughs.
Do you enjoy visiting high-end fashion stores in London, or do you believe that more bohemian spots such as Camden Market hold the greater appeal for local shoppers and tourists?
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