London Designer Outlet signs new brands, sees footfall rise

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Sep 7, 2020

It may seem unlikely that retailers would sign up for new stores at present but London Designer Outlet on Monday announced two new signings.

Police, in its first store in London, and NICCE, in its first standalone store, will join the expanding line-up at the Wembley Park outlet mall.

The news comes as LDO also said it has seen “significant” trading figures since the post-lockdown reopening with a 40% rise in footfall, month-on-month and 31% sales improvement on the same basis.

It all illustrates the relative strength of the outlet sector in the current retail environment. Outlet malls have been among the top performing retail segments in recent years. But unlike another top performer, travel retail, which is struggling badly, outlets seem to have resonated with post-lockdown consumers who are very price-conscious.

LDO’s Police store covers 1,800 sq ft and will see the brand offering its full range of fashion and accessories including its denim collections of jeans and jackets, leathergoods, watches, perfumes and eyewear.

Contemporary casual fashion brand NICCE meanwhile has taken a lease on 1,500 sq ft of space. Building on its East London N-Studio powered by NICCE initiative, the company is “looking to host live events and DJ sessions, working with emerging artists and music producers as part of its strong community commitment by supporting local talent”.

Founder Mitchel Galvin-Farnol said the area’s cultural and community engagement programmes were a key factor behind the decision to open the first standalone at LDO. 

He added: “The outlet will give us a platform from which to reach a diverse and varied customer base, both within the catchment and visitors from further afield as lockdown restrictions continue to ease. The success of London Designer Outlet gives us confidence in the future of physical retailing and we’re looking forward to opening our first outlet location and being a part of the scheme.”