Westfield identifies trend for larger flagship stores as brands upsize

Brands are continuing to increase their retail footprint at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford, as Nike, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Footlocker and Pull & Bear all sign up for larger stores.

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield UK, which owns Westfield London and Westfield Stratford in London, has signed almost 40 new agreements for either new shops or upsized stores this year as brands invest in larger units to offer integrating digital and physical experiences.

Nike has almost tripled the size of its Westfield London branch, upsizing it to 17,000 square feet. The additional space was needed to open the Nike Rise Concept store, the first of its kind for Europe, which creates an immersive environment that offers customers off-to-online experiences with a range of products and events.

While Gucci doubled its footprint with a permanent store at Westfield London's The Village.

Nike, Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger upsize Westfield stores

Kate Orwin, leasing director at Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield UK, said in a statement: “Brands are choosing to upsize in the best locations, as we have seen with the Nike Rise store and the expansion of Gucci at The Village Westfield London, representing a broader trend among retailers.

“As these retailers invest in integrated digital and physical experiences, their focus has shifted from pure sales generation to creating a sense of community and connection for consumers which ultimately drives brand loyalty.”

Upcoming upsize openings include Westfield Stratford welcoming an enlarged Lacoste store in September, upsizing to a 2,741 square foot location, and Footlocker will upsize to a 10,100 square foot unit in October. In H2, the centre will also see Tommy Hilfiger upsizing to a 6,910 square foot store, and Dr. Martens has signed up for a 2,133 square foot upsized unit.

Calvin Klein will also join the brands upsizing at Westfield Stratford in Q1 2023, with a 3,172 square foot space.

Tommy Hilfiger is also planning to extend its Westfield London store to a 5,651 square foot unit.

Westfield added that the retail trend to take larger spaces is not limited to the UK. Zara opened its largest store in Europe at Westfield Les 4 Temps in Paris last year, and H&M will also extend their footprint at the centre, while Bershka is expanding in Villeneuve 2.