Footfall in Chelsea surges as it strengthens shopping offer with a flurry of exciting new signings
Cadogan announces seven new lettings on the King’s Road – sustainable brands Reformation and Rixo are due to open early 2023, joining other lettings including Lampoo, Self Portrait, Allbirds and Wyse. The turnover for brands across the Cadogan Estate is 9% higher than in 2019 and footfall in Chelsea is consistently up on pre-pandemic levels.
Reformation is the latest in a string of high profile, sustainably driven brands to take long-term leases on the King’s Road – while annual footfall across Chelsea hit 98.5% of 2019 levels in 2022, with the neighbourhood consistently bucking both local and national footfall trends according to data from Springboard and with strong annual turnover results concluding the year 9% higher than 2019.
Reformation will open in spring at 11 King’s Road, a stylish women’s fashion brand known for their sustainable practices, with vintage inspired designs created using low-impact materials, deadstock fabrics and repurposed clothing. The new Chelsea store will span 4,000 sq ft and offset all power usage with renewable energy. Rixo, founded by London College of Fashion graduates Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey, will also open their flagship store at 114-116 King’s Road in April, following a number of temporary pop-ups on the Road – the 5,000sq ft space will be an immersive retail and hospitality space, carrying their full range of designs including homeware and accessories.
Reformation and Rixo join other recent signings from Lampoo at 31 King’s Road – the first UK opening for this luxury resale store who stock authenticated second-hand items from the likes of Chanel, Gucci and Dior – and B-Corp certified footwear brand Allbirds at 54 King’s Road.
Self Portrait, founded by Malaysian designer Han Chong, opened in December, with a futuristic and prominent corner store offering floor to ceiling windows and mirrored surfaces designer to blur the boundaries between the interior and exterior – Han Chong says, “For me, this store has become the perfect physical manifestation of the brand.” It was joined the same month by Wyse, specialising in small batches of bright, bold clothing and whose founder Mariella Wyse has an emotional connection to the area – her Father owned the Chelsea Record Centre on the King’s Road in the 1950’s and she is delighted to continue the family’s legacy – and Oh My Cream, a French beauty boutique that carries brands which reflect it environmental philosophy.
Hugh Seaborn, Chief Executive of Cadogan, comments “The King’s Road is famed for being at the forefront of fashion – it is constantly evolving and these exciting, forward-looking brands are a perfect fit. There seems to be no slowdown in innovative retail concepts seeking prime physical space to connect with their communities, especially in strong neighbourhood locations where footfall and sales remain buoyant. The long leases signed by each brand demonstrates a belief in the resilience of physical retail and Chelsea’s strength as a vibrant shopping and lifestyle destination.”