France's Sézane chooses London for third physical store, gets new investor

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jun 1, 2018

​French label Sézane is to open its third permanent standalone store and will set foot in London having signed a 10-year lease for a more-than-2,000 sq ft location in Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill. The move comes as it also has a new minority investor, US-based growth equity firm General Atlantic. The company also has stakes in Tory Burch and Authentic Brands and looks specifically for businesses enjoying fast growth.

Sézane is a mainly-online business but has been expanding into physical stores in recent periods and has also opened a Paris concept store called L’Appartement as well as several European pop-ups. It also opened a permanent store in New York last September.

The new London space covers the ground floor and basement in the expanding Notting Hill retail neighbourhood and will follow the success of the womenswear label’s earlier West End pop-up.

The company operated the La Boutique pop-up on South Molton Street, close to Oxford and Bond Streets, in the two months leading up to Christmas last year.

South Molton Street has become a magnet for premium brands (all of SMCP’s labels are there, as are The Kooples, Hobbs, Links of London and Thomas Sabo). It would have been an ideal testbed for local interest in the brand. But Notting Hill is also a good choice with its quirky mix of major chains and independents.

The retail property consultant that worked on the deal for the new London location said that Sézane is one of the hottest brands at the moment and its third store is an affirmation of London’s importance as a fashion shopping destination.

Sézane was founded in 2013 by Morgane Sezalory and sells premium priced fashion and accessories with a contemporary profile. It also makes the Demain Collection, supporting its children’s education and equality charity initiative.