How does a brand you’ve never heard of pitch up next to the giants of the British high street, with a 2,300 sq ft flagship store on a plum
spot of Oxford Street and Kate Moss as the poster girl? Seems pretty audacious for a newcomer. Except this new kid on the block, Reserved, isn’t new at all – you just don’t know about it. Yet.
Founded in 1999, Reserved is already the Topshop/Zara/H&M/insert-name-ofyour-favourite-high-street-store in its home country, Poland. Part of the LPP conglomerate, one of the fastest growing fashion chains in Europe, it has over 450 stores in 18 countries. Now, it’s coming to London. Co-founder and CEO Marek Piechocki heralds it as an important move. ‘London is a fashion capital and having a presence in this prestigious
location will be another step towards building global recognition of Reserved as a brand and LPP as a company.’
Global domination is the goal – but what about the clothes? With collections refreshed every two weeks, Reserved’s affordable, trend-led pieces cater to its customers’demand for new, new, new. It is fashion with a capital F. This season, that means every trend you want to try out: glossy vinyl trousers, retro sports sweaters, romantic lace dresses, modish denim co-ords, sock boots and fluffy slogan stoles. Kate Moss – who not only fronts the new campaign, but
will also open the store on 6 September – exemplifies the cool-girl attitude.
If Reserved has whet your appetite for something a little different, then the good news is there’s a slew of other fashion names to discover from across the globe. Think of them not as strangers, but
fashionable friends you haven’t met yet.
Reserved London, 252 Oxford Street, will be officially opened by Kate Moss at 11am on Wednesday 6 September.
Samsøe & Samsøe
The lowdown: The Danish house started life as a jewellery brand
in 1993. Still headquartered in Copenhagen’s Nørrebro, it now has
40 stand-alone stores and more than 500 retail spaces across 27 countries.
**Hit it up for: ** Off-kilter, easy femininity with a utilitarian ease: languid silk tailoring, bold prints and knits in unexpected shades.
**How to get it: ** Direct from the Samsøe website, it’s also available at ASOS, John Lewis and Nelly.
Envii
**The lowdown: **Danish name Envii was founded in 2009, with the intention of filling the ‘sporty/girly look that Scandinavia was missing’. The first store opened in Copenhagen in 2015; now it has 10 stores in Denmark and one in Amsterdam.
Hit it up for: Modern Scandi vibes: think relaxed tailoring, retro-style tees and neat knitwear. We’re obsessed with A/W ’17s slouchy check suit and gingham pinafore.
**How to get it: ** Unfortunately Envii does not ship to the UK at the moment – but sources tell us to stay tuned…
WATCH NOW: Kate Moss: fashion through the ages
Oysho
**The lowdThe lowdown: own: **Part of the giant Inditex group, this Spanish brand
was started in 2001 and has a presence in 44 countries, with over 550 stores worldwide.
Hit it up for: Constantly refreshed underwear, beachwear, sleepwear and activewear, alongside staple intimates.
How to get it: The Oysho website ships direct to the UK. You can
also find it on ASOS.
TCN
The lowdown: Created by designer Toton Comella in Barcelona in 1986, TCN began life as a swimwear and lingerie specialist. Now a complete ready-to-wear brand, it has seven stores in Spain, in addition to a presence in more than 100 multi-brand shops.
Hit it up for: Classic pieces with a brave, fashion-forward spin. Put this season’s silver slip, shearling jacket and colourful coats on your wish list.
How to get it: The TCN e-commerce site just started shipping to the UK and it’s soon to launch with other British retail partners. Good times.
Weekday
The lowdown: Part of the H&M group, Swedish brand Weekday was
founded by Örjan Andersson and Adam Friberg, and developed out of the cult denim label Cheap Monday. It now has 29 stores in eight markets across Europe.
**Hit it up for: ** A Scandi cool-girl uniform: slouchy hoodies, ’90sstyle slips, super-soft tees and heaps of denim.
How to get it: Hooray! This Friday marks the opening of the first British Weekday store, on London’s Regent Street.
Country Road
The lowdown: Forty years old and still going strong, Aussie brand
Country Road is the brainchild of Stephen Bennett. Today it has more
than 50 stores in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Making
moves to be Australia’s largest fashion retail group, in 2001 Country
Road acquired the Witchery Group.
Hit it up for: In their words: ‘We’re passionate about creating simply beautiful merchandise designed to reflect an authentically Australian way of life.’ This translates as laid-back Aussie style – think wear-forever classics in a sophisticated neutral palette.
How to get it: No need to travel all the way down under; the website ships direct to the UK.
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