Wolf & Badger to debut retail concept in New York

London-based retailer Wolf & Badger is to open its first multi brand boutique overseas. The company, which champions emerging designers, will open in New York's Soho district at 95 Grand Street.

Wolf & Badger debuted in London in 2009 with a boutique in Notting Hill, giving young designers a retail platform in a key shopping destination by charging them rail space and taking a percentage of sales.

The company has since grown to expand with a second store in London's Mayfair and a showroom. The New York boutique will be its largest to date at 2,500 square feet of retail space, and will house women's, men's and children's wear as well as accessories and homeware.

“SoHo in New York is a dream location for us and we have been seriously considering the area for quite some time,” Wolf & Badger's creative director and co-founder Henry Graham told WWD. “After almost a dozen visits over the last 18 months, we have finally found the perfect site, adjacent to the Alexander Wang flagship and just across the street from Acne.”

The US is already a key market for Wolf & Badger's e-commerce channel, with 20 percent of sales originating from US customers. “America is already an important market for us, and is number two only to the U.K. in terms of sales revenue,” continued Graham.

According to WWD, Graham said the retailer expects the U.S. to become its number one market in 2017. “With Brexit looming and the U.K. entering a period of uncertainty, we are extremely pleased to be entering the U.S. market. Despite over 90 percent of our business now being transacted online, we understand the desire of our customer base to be able to experience and engage with us and the brands we represent in a real-world environment. Online can never replicate the tangible or social elements that our stores offer.”

Photo credit: Wolf & Badger London store, source: Wolf & Badger Facebook