Albaray opens first high street store in the UK

Womenswear brand Albaray has opened its first retail store in the historic town of Chichester in the UK.

Located on Chichester’s busy high street at 88 East Street, the 1,300 square foot store marks the first standalone Albaray offering as it looks to expand its footprint by bringing its contemporary apparel to a broader audience.

In a statement, the womenswear brand, founded by Paula Stewart, former group chief product officer of Oasis and Warehouse Group, Karen Peacock, ex-design director at Warehouse, and Kirstie Di Stazio, former commercial director at Warehouse, said that the debut store would serve as “a destination store and deliver the whole brand experience”.

Paula Stewart, co-founder and chief executive officer at Albaray, said: “As Albaray moves towards its 3rd anniversary (in March), we are thrilled to be opening our first store. Albaray is a digital-first brand; however, through our high-street brand partners, we have seen the vast benefits a physical presence can offer.

“I am excited to develop our store environment and get even closer to our customers. In the digital age, it is vital not to lose the direct interaction and relationships a store can offer. The insights you can discover directly from your customers and the local community are invaluable. A blended approach to retailing was always our ambition, and we are thrilled that we are embarking on this journey.”

Albaray expands footprint with debut retail store

The Chichester store has been designed to support its sustainability commitment and the brand has worked with the Jungle Fit collective, an award-winning commercial store design and fitout company that prioritises people and the planet in the way they operate, including a carbon-neutral approach and uses eco-friendly materials such as Coat paint.

Kirstie Di Stazio, co-founder and chief commercial officer at Albaray, added: “The high street has seen a huge transformation over the last few years; this change has presented many challenges for retailers.

“It has also created opportunity, and we couldn't be more excited to take our first steps into bricks and mortar. Albaray is London-based, however, we deliberately selected a location away from the city that will allow us to develop our store environment and work directly with the local community. We are a small brand with big ambitions, and this milestone moment is key for our future growth.”

As well as offering its collections, the store will be used to host workshops and events, added the brand, with plans to partner with local artists and craftspeople to enhance the store's offering and “help create a positive impact locally”.

Albaray was conceived during the Covid 19 lockdown and launched in March 2021 offering women versatile and sustainable collections. It sells via its own direct-to-consumer website, through selected independent stores, including Percy Langley and John Lewis stores and online, as well as online with Next and M&S. The womenswear brand also started offering international delivery through its own website in October 2023.