Lululemon Bags First European Travel Retail Store At London Heathrow
Technical athletic-to-athleisure fashion brand Lululemon, with sales topping $10 billion for its last fiscal year (ending in February), has inaugurated its first travel store at a European Airport in London—at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, supported by commercial real estate company Newmark.
The store opened its doors on Friday giving passengers in T5—which primarily serves British Airways customers—access to the brand's wide range of apparel supporting activities including yoga, running, training, tennis, and golf.
Heathrow is Europe's busiest air hub, serving 83.9 million passengers last year, making it a good choice as a first sortie into the European travel channel. Lululemon, which is suing Costco for allegedly selling dupes, is led by CEO Calvin McDonald. He is currently executing a growth plan called 'Power of Three ×2' which sits on the three pillars of product innovation, guest experience, and market expansion.
McDonald, who has more than tripled revenue from about $3 billion in 2018, has pushed for global expansion with stores now in 26 countries and plans to enter Italy, India, and others soon. Travel retail has also become one of the markets for further exploration.
Simon Black, executive managing director at Newmark UK and EMEA, said on social media: 'The opening of Lulumelon's first European Airport store at Heathrow Terminal 5 is a project that has been over two years in the making. It hasn't been straightforward, and at times it looked like the project wouldn't come to fruition. However, thanks to the hard work and perseverance to find solutions, Heathrow, Lululemon and Newmark got it over the line.'
Appeal for long-haul travelers
The company's UK and EMEA executive director, Hazel Catterall, a former head womenswear buyer at London upscale department store Harvey Nichols, has led the execution of the brand's Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) travel retail strategy over the two years it has taken to get into Heathrow.
In a statement, the airport's retail director, Fraser Brown, said: 'Lululemon has amassed a cult following for good reason, and we are excited to welcome such an iconic activewear brand. It will enable passengers to enjoy their travel experience with added comfort and style.'
Heathrow's new Lululemon store in T5.
The 1,100-square-foot store has opened in time for summer getaways when demand for fitness-to-fashion crossover items is likely to spike. Despite being space-constrained, Heathrow has been serving record numbers during recent peak periods. CEO, Thomas Woldbye, said: 'Over the past year, we've supported 84 million journeys, and this summer we're ready to welcome even more.' Lululemon's leggings, yoga gear, and travel-friendly layered clothing should appeal, especially to long-haul travelers.
Outside Europe, Lululemon operates a limited number of airport stores in global hubs, including Vancouver Airport in Canada, the brand's first North American airport store launched in 2021 in its hometown gateway, and also in Singapore at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport, and T1 at rival Hong Kong International Airport.
Lululemon ended its first financial first quarter (ending May) with 770 company-operated stores globally a slight year-over-year increase. The international market is where the best revenue growth came from in Q1, with 19% versus the Americas at just 3%. McDonald, a triathlete and sports enthusiast, also on the board of Walt Disney, commented: 'As we navigate the dynamic macro environment, we intend to leverage our strong financial position and competitive advantages to play offense.'
At Heathrow, regular passengers who are members of the Heathrow Rewards loyalty scheme can receive double points when they spend £100 ($135) or more in the new Lululemon shop over the next two weeks.
Newmark makes gains for Monsoon and Accessorize
Newmark UK and EMEA has also secured new and expanded stores for bohemian-inspired fashion brand Monsoon and affordable accessories retailer Accessorize across both High Street and travel retail locations, covering some 9,000 square feet.
Accessorize's new and/or expanded stores include Canada Square in Canary Wharf, a commercial hub in London, and The Beacon in Eastbourne on the English coast, both opened in May. Chantry Place in Norwich in East Anglia will be opening soon and an upsized unit in the Trafford Centre, Manchester will relaunch before the end of the year.
In travel retail, Accessorize refitted and upsized stores in Birmingham and Glasgow airports while Monsoon opened two new locations at London Gatwick Airport in February, marking a first step for the brand as it expands into travel retail.
Newmark director Sharon Daley said: 'Travel retail presents a unique set of opportunities—where visibility, speed, and competitive positioning are paramount. We're proud to support Monsoon and Accessorize in securing strategic locations in some of the UK's busiest airports, including a significant step for the Monsoon brand in travel retail.'
Accessorize operates over 350 stores globally, which includes 130 in the UK. The brand plans to open 10-20 further units annually over the next three years across High Streets and shopping centers. Accessorize currently operates 17 travel locations and Monsoon has added two, both secured through competitive tenders.
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