British fashion brand Represent opens first UK flagship store

British menswear label Represent is set to inaugurate its first UK flagship store in Manchester this weekend, marking a significant time in the brand's transition from digital-first retailer to omnichannel retailer. The company, projecting turnover of 100m pounds by year-end 2024 and 250m pounds by 2028, has demonstrated remarkable growth trajectory with an average sales increase of 81.4 per cent over the past three years.

The brand, established in Manchester in 2011 by siblings George and Michael Heaton, has evolved from modest beginnings in their father's shed to secure position 68 in The Sunday Times' fastest-growing private companies ranking this June. The 5,419 sq ft premises on New Cathedral Street follows the launch of their West Hollywood boutique in March, positioning the label alongside luxury stalwarts including Louis Vuitton and Selfridges in Manchester's premium retail district.

The expansion reflects Represent's strategic pivot from its successful digital-first model, which previously relied on its website and concessions within premium department stores such as Harrods and Selfridges. The new location will dedicate substantial space to its burgeoning performance wear division, 247 by Represent, forecast to constitute 14 per cent of revenue by end-2024. A second UK location in London's Soho is planned for early 2025.

"As we continue to grow as a brand, opening our first physical UK store was a natural progression. Given that Represent was born in Manchester, and it's where our global HQ is based, the city was the only choice – it is in our DNA," said George Heaton, Creative Director and Founder of Represent. "The Represent Manchester location marks an important and iconic milestone for the brand; having spent the past three years planning physical retail footprints, trialling the senses of energy, look, feel, and scent through our partners such as Selfridges and Harrods along the process."