London has a history of eclectic and inventive fashion and many fashion retailers accordingly open stores in the city.

This month sustainability is a key theme, with a focus on the longevity of products, the journey of items from raw materials to creation, and upcycling and recycling. Fashion and beauty brands in particular are recognising that customers want to have more natural materials used for products, understand where materials were sourced from, and how those items can be recycled in future.

Services other than retail also continue to feature as part of new stores, including other products in store (music or books), events, workshops and activities to encourage customers to engage more deeply in the brand, and larger scale offerings like restaurants and spas.

Take a look at all the best new retail we have found this month in London.

 

Labour and Wait, Covent Garden

Lifestyle brand Labour and Wait has launched its latest store in Covent Garden in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The new space occupies a historic building, dating from the 19th century, that used to be a seed warehouse, and the style of the store keeps with that utilitarian warehouse atmosphere, with original brick work, industrial pipes and white, black and neutral paint shades.

The store offering is focused on the brand’s strengths of a range of high quality products with longevity, including tools, jackets, coffee pots and other products. The aim is to make the space feel like a traditional village shop with a range of different items available to purchase.

 

Kith, Regent Street

Regent Street sees the debut of streetwear brand Kith, with a new flagship store.

The new space is one of the historic buildings and maintains the original vestibule and windowpane glass, to try and capture London’s heritage. The new store encompasses Kith, Kith Women, Kith Kids, Kith Treats and restaurant Ronnie’s.

Each of the spaces contains a different colour palette and style, with Kith Kids using cloud motifs and playful accents. Kith Treats, the ice cream parlour features pastel palettes, bar-style seats and marble counters. Customers are able to purchase a range of popular Kith menu items, including specials exclusive to London and the Kith range of Signature Specials.

The Kith Women part of the store uses white oak and marble, with herringbone flooring, and visitors can find the entire Kith women range, including accessories and exclusive collaborations. The Kith space is darker using walnut, leather and green velvet. Customers here will find jewellery, seasonal ranges and other Kith collaborations. Additionally, a range of clothing and accessories designed with London branding, and sold exclusively in this location, will be available.

Finally, there is Ronnie’s, the brand’s restaurant, which takes influences from the Mediterranean as well as New York bistros. This is a space where customers can relax and enjoy a range of cocktails including Vesper Martini and Rose Espresso Martini.

 

Our Legacy Work Shop, Soho

Swedish fashion brand Our Legacy has launched its new debut Work Shop in London this month.

The new store celebrates both the brand’s decade in London and a decade of Work Shop, its sustainable fashion concept. The space is a historic building that was famous for leather and blacksmithing, and this heritage fits with the Work Shop idea. Original features from the building have been preserved, such as the beams, pillars and ceilings. 

The concept was born out of recognising that brands often have remaining stock and fabric left over at the end of the season, and wondering how this could be reused. Work Shop uses existing pieces and old fabric to recreate new items. Some of these are inspired from previous Our Legacy items and others from vintage clothing. Some of these products are displayed alongside the items that inspired them, to show how fashion borrows from the past.

The stock here includes collaborations with other brands such as Dickies, Armani, Artek and Converse, and some of the products made here influence the main designs that Our Legacy includes in its main shops.

 

Aroma-Zone, Westfield London

Arriving in Westfield London this month is the debut of French sustainable beauty brand Aroma-Zone.

The store has been designed to be bright and calm, with neutral and pastel colours used throughout, with the store layout zoned by colour. French furniture provides a nod to the brand’s heritage.

Customers are able to browse a range of natural products across hair and skin care, and wellness, with over 500 to choose from. The AZ Lab offers a range of ingredients, allowing shoppers to choose their own mix and create bespoke and holistic formulas. There are also a range of pre-made products at the Booster Bar, where customers can find out more about the ingredients in each item. 

There are also a range of events being held in-store including workshops exploring beauty, self-care and wellness.

 

Sheep Inc, Soho

Natural fibre fashion brand Sheep Inc. has launched its new store that it refers to as a ‘flagsheep’.

The space also makes use of natural materials that are sustainable, including wood that has been reclaimed. The brand worked with James Shaw, a designer, who created bespoke pieces for the store such as chairs made from Camden timber. 

There are also a range of installations, including a Softcore Room which contains a variety of soundscapes alongside New Zealand wool that the customer can touch, and mannequins with sheep heads.

Other innovations that the brand uses includes Connected Dots with QR codes so that customers are able to track the journey of a product and see a range of films that showcase the farm.

 

Gap, Covent Garden

Making a return to Covent Garden this month is iconic ‘90s American fashion brand, Gap.

The brand has opened a new store at the location of its original flagship as well as another two standalone stores within London (Wembley and White City). The new openings are part of an industry-wide return to physical retail spaces, recognising renewed interest from consumers and the opportunity to create new experiences in-store. These openings have been developed in partnership with Next, with which Gap has had an existing relationship.

The space reflects the original minimalist design that was the signature style of Gap stores and features the brand’s celebrated range across t-shirts, jeans and other essentials. The store also reflects the musical culture of London by including a vinyl counter, with the collection selected by record shop Honest John. Customers can also find a library of books across art, photography and fashion.

 

Rituals, Oxford Street

Luxury beauty brand Rituals launched its first Mind Oasis in London in November.

The new space is a spa and sanctuary offering cutting edge beauty treatments backed by science. The store has been designed to be a sensory experience and feel immersive, with light colour wood and calming light throughout, and a series of relaxing booths to ensure customers can relax.

The range of treatments available to visitors include Brain Massage, a space to recharge with a Zero-G chair, audio and light as part of a guided meditative session. There is also Hydro Massage which provides the benefits of a warm water relaxation, but fully clothed. The special pod has a heated pad which uses water jets to provide the massage and LED lights for collagen boosting. There are personalisation elements available through the use of scent and sounds. 

Customers will also find a new and exclusive range of Rituals products for when they have finished their treatments.