K-Way returns to UK physical retail with King’s Road flagship, more stores to come

K-Way is back in the UK with a physical location having opened this month on London’s King’s Road ahead of a revamped UK webstore coming in March.

Located as 120 King’s Road and sharing the space with brand owner BasciNet’s Sebago and Superga labels, it covers 1,290 sq ft of retail space and was designed by architect Andrea Caputo.

As mentioned, it’s a return to physical retail for K-Way in Britain, the brand having previously been in Covent Garden and Spitalfields.

And more stores are planned with “the next 18 months” likely to see new locations opening in London’s Marylebone and Covent Garden. After that it could move beyond London to key cities, although that’s a longer-term aim.

The store is spacious and divided between the main K-Way area and the adjoining Sebago and Superga space, although while each can be accessed from the other, they also feel like self-contained monobrand stores. 

For K-Way, it has a simple design that lets the product do the talking with its bright-to-neutral colour stories providing the key focal point.

Lorenzo Boglione, vice-president of BasicNet, told FashionNetwork.com that finding such a space with its high ceilings on the King’s Road was some feat given how much smaller many of the shops there are than in other major London destinations.

He also said the opening is a major milestone for the label and that the space was a “no-brainer” and is about as “perfect” as it’s possible to get. 

Its journey to find its ideal store was a long one but the King’s Road is also an ideal location given its appeal to both locals and visitors and the strong French and Italian affluent demographic that lives in the area.

While K-Way has 118 stores in Europe and Asia, the majority of those are in France and Italy, which are the label’s main markets.

Despite the problems created by Brexit, (which he sees as bad for both the UK and Europe), Boglione also explained that the UK — and particularly London — is a market that can’t be ignored.

“Our brands have always been here but not our direct presence. In the moment of Covid and Brexit together it was too challenging for us. But the reality is that it’s an amazing market, it’s perfect for the brand. 

“London is the most powerful city in Europe. The biggest, the most powerful, the most touristic, the richest city. Bigger than many countries in Europe. You can’t plan a global brand without being here. You can’t plan the US without being here. The diversity, the buzz you feel in London is unique.”