Hammerson is pleased to announce that premium fashion retailer HUGO BOSS has chosen Westquay to open its first store in Southampton, significantly boosting the centre’s aspirational retail offer.
Founded in 1924 and renowned for epitomising authentic, understated luxury, German brand HUGO BOSS now boasts a portfolio of stores in 127 countries across the globe. The brand continues to demonstrate strong appeal in the UK, with half-year sales figures showing double digit growth. Its retail offer includes fashion for both men and women, in addition to sportswear, shoes, accessories and fragrances. The new HUGO BOSS store at Westquay marks the latest in Hammerson’s portfolio, with existing stores at centres including Cabot Circus, Bristol, Dundrum, Dublin and Bullring, Birmingham.
The signing of HUGO BOSS is a key milestone in the repositioning of the tenant mix on level two of Westquay, which now boasts a premium retail line-up. The new, 2,116 sq ft store will join other recent additions including luxury jeweller, Laing Edinburgh and international footwear retailer, Russell & Bromley, both of which have chosen Westquay for their only stores in the city.
The centre has completed a major enhancement over the past 12 months, with a variety of new brands opening. The addition of Westquay South, the dining and leisure extension, has significantly boosted the appeal of the centre, with footfall up 12% year-on-year, ensuring that Westquay is well positioned to attract prime retailers looking to gain a foothold on the South Coast.
Iain Mitchell, UK Commercial Director at Hammerson, commented, “Securing HUGO BOSS for Westquay is a fantastic result, and signals that demand from premium brands for prime retail space remains strong. We have been focused on implementing a proactive asset management strategy to attract more aspirational, high-end retailers to this part of the centre to better serve customer demand, and I am delighted to see the success of that strategy.”
Stephen Born, Managing Director at HUGO BOSS, commented, “We’re excited to be opening our first BOSS store in Southampton, and our new location at Westquay provides the perfect showcase for our full Menswear offering. From wardrobe staples to workwear essentials, our customers in Southampton can choose styles from our BOSS collections ranging from formal suiting and precision tailoring to our casual and athleisurewear.”