Global sports brand adidas is set to greatly expand its store in London Designer Outlet, adopting its new design format which will be a first for UK outlets.
adidas, which has been at London Designer Outlet (LDO) since it first opened in 2013, will bring a more experiential offer to its enlarged store with its new retail format. It will focus on selling sports performance apparel and footwear, and feature high res interactive displays and active participation spaces, which will be in keeping with the urban outlet centre’s emphasis on high quality fit-outs and visually appealing displays.
adidas, which is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, is one of the longest-serving brands in London Designer Outlet, the capital’s leading fashion and lifestyle outlet centre, and will increase its floor space by 63% to 10,550 sq ft.
The decision by adidas to expand in London Designer Outlet, which is managed by the UK’s specialist outlet operator Realm, comes amid the continued resilience of the outlet sector. Over the course of the pandemic outside periods of lockdowns, outlets have continued to perform well as people favour value-for-money, local destinations and well-managed, socially distanced locations. As part of the work, the Marks & Spencer Outlet store will be reconfigured and rightsized.
Sue Shepherd, Realm’s General Manager for London Designer Outlet, said: “It is always encouraging when retailers like adidas upsize since it highlights how much our guests enjoy these brands and emphasises that they have been trading well.We also have a good mix of stores that have been with us since our first few months, including Villeroy & Boch, The North Face and Replay alongside more recent signings such as Radley, Police and NICCE. Between the enhanced safety measures we have in place and the wide, open spaces of Wembley Park, we are confident that once we can welcome our guests back again after lockdown that they will feel safe in returning, so that they can shop their favourite brands at affordable prices in a secure, accessible environment.”
An adidas spokesperson said; “We’ve been pleased to have had adidas as part of the London Designer Outlet since it opened in 2013 and be part of its continued success. After fantastic feedback on our existing store we have taken the opportunity to expand our footprint and enhance the brand experience. We look forward to serving our consumers in our new store at London Designer Outlet and continuing to be a part of the growing Wembley Park community.”
London Designer Outlet, which celebrated its seventh birthday in October, has some 265,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space including 70 outlet stores, restaurants and coffee shops. It also benefits from serious year-round discounts of up to 70% off RRP, the surrounding Wembley Park, excellent transport links and ample car parking.
While the new adidas store aims to further meet customer needs, the London Designer Outlet team has also been working to improve guests’ experience. As well as offering fluent foreign language speakers in Guest Relations, cultural appreciation training for all retail and restaurant staff, and a Mystery Shopper programme, LDO has implemented technological solutions to support guests. The retail destination was the first UK shopping centre to offer Dropit, the app-based, store-to-door delivery service. Through Dropit, which is offered free of charge to LDO’s guests, all purchases bought at any of LDO’s 50 stores can be gathered together and swiftly delivered to customers’ homes, hotels or workplaces at a time and date of their choosing, with same-day deliveries available within the M25. Additionally, it recently launched The LDO Edit, a new click-and-reserve online platform that brings together the best of online and in-store shopping.
