Belstaff, celebrating its 100th anniversary, reveals ambitious store expansion plans.
- The flagship store in London underwent a significant revamp, inspiring other locations.
- New store designs focus on a minimalist aesthetic to highlight products.
- Expansions are planned across key European locations, including Germany and Spain.
- The brand aims to strengthen its retail growth over the next three years.
Celebrating its centenary, Belstaff unveils its ambitious plans to expand its retail presence amidst a strategic drive to revamp existing stores and open new ones. In its recent efforts, the heritage brand has transformed its flagship store on London’s Regent Street, adopting a ‘future garage’ design with clay walls and ceramic tiles, aiming to enhance customer experience and product visibility.
The updated store in Regent Street, which serves as a prototype for future locations, signifies a shift towards simplicity and elegance, ensuring that the focus remains on the products rather than store fixtures. Kerry Byrne, Belstaff’s commercial director, emphasised the importance of aligning the store’s interior with the brand’s younger target audience, facilitating a more cohesive shopping journey.
The expansion strategy includes opening new outlets in Edinburgh and a potential second London location, alongside international sites in Germany and Spain. Byrne articulated the brand’s priority on establishing a full-price store in Germany, targeting cities like Düsseldorf and Frankfurt, with Spain’s growing market in Madrid also on the radar.
A temporary showroom on Margaret Street was utilised as an innovative approach during the Regent Street renovation and will see the use of mobile trailers as pop-up spaces in Manchester and Glasgow to continue business during closures. This adaptability demonstrates Belstaff’s commitment to maintaining trade and customer engagement even amidst transitions.
Financially backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos, Belstaff has narrowed its losses in the past fiscal year, despite a slight decline in revenue. The brand is resolute in its belief that now is the opportune moment to expand, focusing on capturing retail growth with a refined store concept, optimised product offerings, and a sharpened customer profile, as highlighted by Byrne.
Belstaff’s strategic focus on retail expansion and store innovation marks a pivotal step in its centennial year, aiming to capture a broader market segment.
