LONDON — Axel Arigato, the Swedish footwear and accessories brand that specializes in sneakers, plans to launch its first flagship in London’s Soho in September.
Located at 19-23 Broadwick Street the store is newly built and was designed by the brand’s creative director Max Svardh and architect Christian Halleröd, who has created retail spaces for Acne Studios, Byredo and Frame Denim.
“Soho made sense for us,” chief executive officer Albin Johansson told WWD. “Some of London’s most interesting shops can be found here. It’s a great mix of people, brands, restaurants, combined with a rich heritage. There’s no doubting the drawing power of Soho. And what’s great about Broadwick Street is that it’s not fully established as a retail destination. It’s a bit like our brand — under construction.”
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The 1,668-square-foot boutique, on one floor, was designed with a minimalist aesthetic. Svardh and Hallerod incorporated concrete, metal and mirrors. The palette is light gray and there are white tables made from terrazzo stone.
”I wanted to create a space that is inviting and open, the same feeling you get when you walk in to a gallery,” said Svardh. “I also wanted to allow flexibility for upcoming projects and collaborations. Axel Arigato is a young brand that is constantly evolving. For us, it only made sense to create a space that could evolve as well. ”We needed a minimalist palette because the products we offer are so diverse and individualized. Instead, we started looking for different surfaces that could add depth to that tonality.”
The store will carry the full range of men’s and women’s shoes, accessories and clothing as well as a selection of magazines, books, posters and objects. The store will stock exclusives, tying in with the brand’s “drop of the week” concept. Axel Arigato plans to roll out new sneakers each week. Prices range from 45 pounds, or $59, for small leather goods to 275 pounds, or $361, for footwear.
This is the first global flagship. Johansson noted that the U.K., U.S., France, Germany, Sweden and Singapore are key markets for the company and bestsellers include sneakers models Clean 90, Clean 90 laceless, Platform and Cap-toe.
“We have sold to more than 100 countries in total, but we do sell to around 70 countries each month, and most of them have the same growth,” said Johansson. “The U.K. just makes sense for us. It’s the gateway to [the entirety of] Europe, and suits very well with the brand and its aesthetic. Considering how well we perform online, we believe we have a really good audience [in the U.K.]”
Last month the brand launched an accessories range of unisex small leather goods includes a zip wallet and cardholder.