Abercrombie & Fitch opens second UK store

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Sep 6, 2018

American teen brand Abercrombie & Fitch has opened a 5,554-square-foot flagship store in Manchester, bringing its new prototype store concept to Europe.

The space, located within Intu Trafford Centre, is the second Abercrombie & Fitch site in the UK after the brand’s shop in Mayfair, London.

It is also the second location outside of the US to feature the company’s new store concept, which has demonstrated improved customer engagement and productivity on a smaller footprint.

Designed to encourage product trial, the store boasts innovative fitting rooms where customers can control the lighting and music. There are additional amenities throughout such as phone charging docks as well as larger fitting rooms to accommodate groups of friends and families.  Checkout points are placed in different areas of the store to enable a quicker and more accessible experience.

Colin Flinn, regional managing director at Intu, said: “Intu’s high footfall, experience-based destinations are popular locations for international brands looking to thrive within new areas of the UK. Abercrombie & Fitch’s new store has been carefully designed to give Intu Trafford Centre shoppers even more to enjoy as part of their big day out at the centre.”

Stacia Andersen, Brand President of Abercrombie & Fitch, added: "We are delighted to unveil our new store design in the UK for the first time, in the fashion-forward and vibrant city of Manchester. Customers old and new will discover A&F’s evolved brand experience and collections, in a space designed to deliver a seamless experience across all our platforms.”

Abercrombie & Fitch’s new prototype store was first unveiled in the US in 2017, and has also debuted in Asia in Hong Kong.