Attracting new retail brands is important but maintaining and improving the presence of existing ones is also crucial to the shopping centres. And outlet destination Gloucester Quays is proving to be a big hit on this front, with the west of England attraction “strengthening [its] reputation as one of the UK’s premier crossover outlets”.
Image: Gloucester Quays
Across a combined 26,157 sq ft, fashion and lifestyle names – including M&S, Adidas, Asics, and Eden Menswear – have recently renewed their leases. At the same time, Joules has completed a major refit to enhance its in-store experience.
M&S, a long-standing anchor at Gloucester Quays, has renewed the lease for its 12,400 sq ft store; Joules has unveiled a full store refit for its 4,200 sq ft location, featuring refreshed interiors and expanded fashion collections; Eden Menswear has renewed its 1,459 sq ft space, while sports retail giants Adidas and Asics have also renewed their combined 8,000 sq ft+ spaces at Gloucester Quays.
These renewals follow a series of reinvestments taking place earlier this year from Puma, Quba, and The North Face, which have all renewed at the outlet, as well as Crew, which has been renewed and expanded further.
This announcement further enhances its breadth of choice for visitors following over 8,000 sq ft of new lettings in menswear and gifting, including Ben Sherman, Label Yard, Menkind and an expanded Crew Clothing, the centre added.
Paul Carter, Asset director at centre operator Peel Retail & Leisure, said: “Gloucester Quays continues to prove its resilience and long-term appeal. Quality brands are telling us they want to stay, choosing to reinvest because they know our offer, environment, and experience puts them in a position to succeed here.”
Montpellier-based group Socri Limited has announced a change of identity to become Ceiba, a name registered in around thirty countries to support the group’s international ambitions.
Ceiba
The group notably operates the Polygone shopping centres in Béziers and Montpellier, the Galeries Lafayette department stores in Avignon and Béziers, and the La Coupole shopping centre in Nîmes.
“Ceiba is a logical step,” explained its chairman, Nicolas Chambon. “We are not changing what we do; we are embracing what we have become. This new name allows us to assert an identity that is clear, committed, and true to our values.”
The name Ceiba, taken from the sacred Latin American tree, had already been used by the group’s U.S. subsidiary. Its adoption at group level “forms part of a deliberate international trajectory,” according to the company, which was founded in 2023.
The company’s new logo – Ceiba
The group’s Nîmes shopping centre recently welcomed the opening of a Galeries Lafayette store, inaugurated on October 2. The opening is reported to have delivered a 45% increase in footfall at the 13,500-square-metre shopping centre at the start of autumn.
MadaLuxe Group on Thursday said it has acquired fine jewelry brand Ippolita, as the U.S. lifestyle group looks to bolster its portfolio and expand into the fine jewelry category.
Ippolita
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Under the deal, founder of Ippolita, Ippolita Rostagno, will continue in her role as chief creative officer, overseeing all aspects of design across the brand’s jewelry collections.
“I founded Ippolita with the belief that fine jewelry should celebrate the artistry of the hand and honor the individuality of the women who wear it,” said Rostagno. “Joining MadaLuxe Group opens an exciting new chapter—one that allows us to protect our heritage while embracing meaningful opportunities for growth. I am delighted to continue guiding the brand’s creative vision as we reach an even broader global audience.”
Launching in 1999 exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, Ippolita is known for its sculptural jewelery that blends contemporary design with Italian craftsmanship. Today, the brand is sold through leading luxury retailers and boutiques worldwide.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ippolita into the MadaLuxe Group family,” said Adam Freede, CEO and co-founder of MadaLuxe Group, which added it will support the New York fine jewelry brand’s continued growth across key markets worldwide.
“Ippolita is an iconic brand with a rich artistic heritage, extraordinary customer loyalty, and a timeless visual vocabulary. We see significant opportunity to drive brand growth through strategic support and investment. Above all, we saw a great chance to add someone as talented as Ippolita to the MadaLuxe family, who views the importance of people and company culture the same way that we do.”
Volcom and Boardriders brands are returning to Hawaii with the reopening of two flagship retail locations on O’ahu, marking a renewed commitment to the surf culture that has long shaped the brands’ identities.
Volcom and Boardriders brands reestablish retail presence in Hawaii. – Volcom
Boardriders will reopen its U.S. flagship in Waikīkī through Authentic’s partnership with BR Japan. Located steps from the Duke Kahanamoku statue, the more than 7,000-square-foot space will serve as a key global retail destination, offering a curated assortment of Action and Outdoor brands including Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, Roxy and RVCA.
“Our store sits right in front of the birthplace of surfing, the most important location in surfing history,” said Sammy Yoo, president of BR Japan.
“This is our flagship store, arguably the most important property in the surf industry, and we want it to feel truly original. The imagery we’re collecting, from Waikīkī’s early surf culture to iconic shots of our athletes, honors the past while inspiring the future.”
Volcom will also reestablish its presence on the North Shore with the reopening of its Haleiwa store through Authentic’s partnership with The Levy Group, which has teamed up with longtime Hawaii retailer Cycle City.
“Reestablishing Volcom’s presence in Haleiwa is an important milestone for us,” said Louis Levy, president of The Levy Group.
“Hawaii has always been central to the brand’s story, and we’re committed to building stores with a partner that reflects the energy, creativity, and authenticity that define Volcom. With our iconic Volcom houses at Pipeline only six and a half miles away, re-opening this location is another step in supporting Volcom athletes, consumers, and the community on O’ahu’s North Shore”
Authentic acquired Boardriders from funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P., in 2023. Through this acquisition, Authentic expanded its portfolio with Quiksilver, Billabong, Roxy, DC Shoes, RVCA, Element, VonZipper and Honolua. Likewise, Authentic acquired the Volcom brand from luxury giant Kering in 2019.
Since acquiring the brands, Authentic has focused on expanding the Action and Outdoor Sports portfolio through partnerships that reflect the heritage of each label. The Hawaii openings follow the launch of 15 new stores across Western Europe and contribute to more than 20 new retail locations opened globally with partners to date.