April 30, 2019: Kurt Geiger is opening its first store in Delhi this fall as part of the British retailer’s long-term agreement with India-based luxury retail conglomerate Genesis Luxury. Under the terms of the deal, Genesis Luxury will have exclusive distribution rights to the brand in the country. Another Kurt Geiger boutique — also offering its collection of footwear, handbags and accessories — is scheduled to debut this year in Mumbai.
April 30, 2019: SeaVees has taken up residence in an up-and-coming arts district in Santa Barbara, Calif., dubbed the Funk Zone. The shoe brand’s first flagship in the coastal city boasts 1,800 square feet of space on the site of a former surf shop, with a tin roof, antique-barn wood details and longboards for decor. The store also features SeaVees’ complete assortment of footwear — including a limited-edition shoe to mark the launch — as well as a curated selection of SoCal merch, such as tote bags, tees and shorts from CEO and chief designer Steven Tiller’s own collection.
April 26, 2019: Opening May 10, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, Goop, will debut its concept shop in Nantucket, Mass. The summertime-themed pop-up will feature product across home, fashion, beauty, wellness and specialty categories. Consumers will be able to shop items including Sperry Authentic Original Boat shoes, jewelry from Foundrae and La Californienne and goop’s own lines of G. Label apparel and G. Sport activewear, among many others. The store is designed by New York architecture firm Ronen Lev principals Jessica Wilpon Kamel and Christina Akiskalou. The space will feature an East Coast aesthetic as it was inspired by New England charm, Nantucket architectural traditions and Scandinavian summer homes with the minimalism of Shaker design. Goop MRKT Nantucket is open daily until September 24.
April 25, 2019: To coincide with the launch of Everlane’s new sneaker brand, Tread by Everlane, the sustainable retailer is opening a concept shop in Downtown Los Angeles. From April 26 to May 19, Everlane’s pop-up will be open to the public, selling its new trainer style while also hosting a variety of events. After two years of developing the carbon neutral design, Tread by Everlane’s unisex sneaker also debuted online and in its New York and San Francisco stores today. Located at 958 S. Broadway in L.A., the space is open on Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
April 23, 2019: Designer George Esquivel is making a move into retail with the June debut of Esquivel Atelier, a store located in his home base of Los Angeles. Known for his handcrafted shoes worn by celebrities including Laura Dern and Emma Stone, the store will showcase Esquivel’s footwear offerings in addition to favorite discoveries from around the world including candles from Mexico and Ryan Roche knits. The exterior of the 6,500-square-foot space will feature a mural by painter and designer Roland Berry, while Esquivel worked with designer Martha Moos for the interior. In addition to product, the store will feature a showroom, workshop and offices.
April 19, 2019: Parisian shoemaker and ready-to-wear house Berluti has opened a new flagship in Monte Carlo — the first store to open in Monaco and the second in the Riviera. Located next to the Hotel de Paris, the two-story flagship spans 915 square feet, distinguished by its herringbone-pattern wood floor and textured walls, with the first floor boasting a private salon that overlooks the city-state. The French brand, built by four generations of shoemakers, has been around since 1895.
April 17, 2019: Sports and lifestyle brand Airwalk is expanding its business with a move into China. The label’s parent company, Authentic Brands Group, and Eleven After Eleven, a China-based manufacturer of street and skate brands, have signed a multiyear licensing agreement for Eleven After Eleven to design, manufacture and distribute Airwalk apparel, outerwear, footwear and headwear throughout greater China. Plans include the opening of 40 Airwalk shopping destinations, the first which will launch in 2020.
April 4, 2019: New York fashion-comfort retailer Eneslow Shoes & Orthotics, which this year is celebrating its 110th anniversary, plans to open its fourth store in a 4,000-square-foot location on the Upper East Side. The store will offer pedorthic services in addition to comfort brands distributed in the U.S. and exclusive lines from Europe. “We believe this location matches our customer demographics of baby boomers, high-income, professional Manhattanites who walk and need our [services],” said owner Robert Schwartz.
April 1, 2019: Los Angeles is getting a dose of Southern style. The Charlotte, N.C.-based Capitol boutique has opened its second location, in the Brentwood Country Mart, WWD reports. The 3,500-square-foot shop features the colorful array of dresses, footwear and accessories that Capitol is known for, plus a shop-in-shop with celebrity-favorite jewelry designer Irene Neuwirth. Founded in 1997 by Laura Vinroot Poole, the boutique is in good company in the 70-year-old complex: Its neighboring stores include Goop, Visvim, James Perse and Christian Louboutin. Poole told WWD she chose to branch out because “my second-largest client base is California, and I’ve always loved the country mart.”
Watch FN’s video on the dad shoe trend.
Want more?
Retail Intel: March 2019
Retail Intel: February 2019
Retail Intel: January 2019
