Represent, one of Britain’s fastest growing fashion brands, is opening the doors to its first ever UK store this Saturday 26 October, following a period of massive growth. The luxury menswear brand is on course to reach record sales of £100 million by the end of 2024 and £250 million by 2028.
Founded in Manchester in 2011 by brothers George and Michael Heaton, its sales have increased by an average of 81.4% over the past three years, and it has gone from being a business run out of the brothers’ father’s shed to one of 68th fastest growing private company in the UK, according to the Sunday Times in June.
The 5,419 sq ft store, located on New Cathedral Street in Manchester city centre, is the brand’s first permanent retail space in the UK, having opened a bespoke boutique in West Hollywood, Los Angeles last March.
Manchester is a natural choice for the brand’s first UK store, as the city where it was born and the hometown of its founders is an integral part of Represent’s DNA. Early next year, a second UK store in London’s Soho will follow, which will operate as a bespoke concept store.
Until this year, Represent was an online sales business through its website, with new arrivals launching every week, as well as dedicated bespoke retail spaces in some of the UK’s biggest department stores.
After a year of rapid growth, an entire floor of the store will be dedicated to Represent’s performance clothing division, 247 by Represent. 247 is now the fastest growing arm of the brand, and is expected to account for 14% of the business by the end of 2024.
The New Cathedral Street location will position Represent alongside other luxury retailers in the heart of Manchester’s iconic shopping district.
George Heaton, creative director and founder of Represent: “As we continue to grow as a brand, opening our first physical store in the UK was a natural progression.
Given that Represent was born in Manchester and that’s where our global headquarters are based, the city was the only choice – it’s in our DNA.
The Represent Manchester site marks an important and iconic milestone for the brand; having spent the last three years planning physical retail footprints, testing “The Represent Manchester location marks a significant and iconic milestone for the brand; having spent the last three years planning physical retail footprints, testing and working with Harrods throughout the process.
