Represent, a luxury streetwear brand, announces its first UK store in Manchester.
- Founded by brothers George and Mike Heaton, the brand marks this as a significant milestone.
- The decision to open in Manchester is rooted in the brand’s origins and its strategic retail planning.
- Los Angeles’ store performance provided crucial insights into customer behaviour, impacting this expansion.
- Represent maintains a 70/30 revenue balance between direct-to-consumer and wholesale, reinforcing its growth strategy.
Represent, the luxury streetwear label founded by George and Mike Heaton, is set to open its inaugural UK store in Manchester city centre. This development is a significant milestone for the brand, celebrating its roots and showcasing its commitment to expanding its physical retail presence.
The new store, located at Unit 2 New Cathedral Street, will span 5,419 sq ft and is expected to open this autumn. It will be positioned alongside renowned retailers, Canada Goose and Paul Smith. This choice reflects Represent’s intent to integrate into a vibrant retail environment, leveraging Manchester’s cultural and economic dynamics.
The performance of Represent’s Los Angeles store, opened in March, has been pivotal. The brand observed a higher average order value and units per transaction in-store compared to online sales. This shift in consumer behaviour has provided valuable insights that have influenced the Manchester store’s setup and offerings.
George Heaton emphasised Manchester’s importance, describing it as the brand’s home and its DNA. The city has witnessed rapid evolution within its fashion scene, with significant developments like the upcoming Soho House contributing to its growth. For Represent, this presents an opportunity to further engage with its community and enhance its creative expression.
The brand continues to balance its business model, maintaining a 70/30 revenue split between direct-to-consumer and wholesale. This strategy allows Represent to strengthen its relationships with prominent global retailers, while also focusing on direct engagement with its customer base.
CEO Paul Spencer supports this approach, noting that the partnerships with retailers such as Selfridges, Harrods and Saks are crucial to the brand’s distribution and visibility strategy. These collaborations amplify Represent’s reach, allowing the brand to be present in some of the most iconic retail locations worldwide.
Represent’s expansion into Manchester aligns with its strategic growth plans while honouring its origins.
