Belstaff moves flagship to Regent Street in most important retail project so far

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Aug 28, 2019

Belstaff will be relocating its London flagship next month with an opening at 203 Regent Street as part of its ongoing retail expansion plans.

The new location has been created in line with its “community first” retail concept that adapts each shop to its location. The company has already opened several sites under this concept, including the reopened Spitalfields store in March, the Munich relocation to Residenzstrasse in May and most recently the Glasgow relocation to Ingram Street.

But the company said that the new flagship, which is on the corner of Regent Street and Conduit Street, “is its most important retail project to date.”

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The company has worked with award-winning design consultancy Brinkworth on the store, which has been designed with its proximity to Soho in mind.

Belstaff said “the curious mindset of this neighbourhood will be reflected in the store, presenting a new era for the nearly 100 year-old brand. 

And it added that “Belstaff Regent Street will be a place for discovery, shopping and entertainment. The interactive space can be transformed from a retail environment into a community hub.”

With all fixtures on castors, the store’s configuration can be tweaked fast to accommodate various happenings and the brand plans to host an ongoing series of curated events featuring guest hosts, along with special screenings, panel discussions and podcast recordings. “Key figures of the Soho community” will also collaborate on the opening event, curating the food, music and entertainment.

As for the design itself, the 2,077 sq ft store interior “reflects the brand’s Stoke-on-Trent industrial origins”, with the use of powder-coated steel, brass fittings and laminated glass. The bespoke brass and timber stairwell, green Hammerite textures and leather shelves “showcase local craftsmanship and leading furniture design”. The British Millerain cotton canopy ceiling also references “both the brand’s signature waxed cotton collection and its background as an innovator in functional textiles and clothing”.

The company added that “tactile product displays [will be] eclectically arranged to encourage rummage and discovery, inviting customers to explore the product in an informal and flexible way.” And there’s a bespoke seating area for relaxation and to “enjoy a barista coffee or G&T, prepared by the Belstaff team”.

The idea of the brand as timeless is also reinforced by the inclusion of a repair and restoration area. There will be a permanent hand waxing service located on the ground floor, for customers to bring in their old jackets. ‘How to Care’ classes will also be offered and they’ll be filmed and shared on Belstaff channels for the wider community to access, “highlighting the importance of sustainably designed products that are built for life”.

The opening will come at a big moment for Regent Street itself as it coincides with the shopping street’s 200th anniversary. The street has been transformed by landlord The Crown Estate and by the retailers there in the past couple of decades. And it's now one of London's premier shopping locations, packed with mega-sized international flagships as well as smaller shops, most of them operating in the middle-market up to high-end. 

Belstaff clearly wants to make the most of the 50 million+ visitors a year that the streets attracts, many of them high-spending tourists.