Is Inditex moving into Peek & Cloppenburg's flagship locations?

Spanish apparel group Inditex could soon move into several locations belonging to Düsseldorf-based fashion retailer Peek & Cloppenburg.

The parent company of fast-fashion retailer Zara is set to become the tenant of the flagship properties in Düsseldorf, Berlin and Frankfurt am Main. This was reported by trade publication Textilwirtschaft on Tuesday, citing “several usually well-informed sources”. According to the report, leasing the properties is more economical than operating the locations themselves. Midstad, the real estate management arm of the Peek & Cloppenburg group, is responsible for the letting. It recently took over the Carsch-Haus building in Düsseldorf.

Plans for a restructuring of the location on Frankfurt's Zeil have been in place for around two years. At the time, the architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop presented a multifunctional space concept that included a primary school, offices and apartments. Peek & Cloppenburg was still intended to be the anchor tenant at that time.

However, if the Spanish fashion group were to actually move in, there might not be enough space left for the Düsseldorf-based fashion retailer. The group includes Pull&Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho and Lefties in addition to Zara. A move to the upper floors would also be unlikely, according to Textilwirtschaft's insiders.

When contacted by FashionUnited, Midstad said it does not, as a matter of principle, comment on speculation, ongoing talks or its contractual relationships, and therefore could not comment on the enquiry.