New Locations
Pushing forward with its transition from an outlet-based model to standalone stores, Suit Direct celebrated its 19th store opening on the 5th March with Crawley’s County Mall Shopping Centre the latest to welcome the brand.
Recent additions also include Nottingham’s Victoria Centre and The Glades in Bromley – both opened their doors in February. The south of England has been a particular focus for new openings, with Bluewater, Lakeside, High Wycombe and Kingston all having joined the Suit Direct roster in recent months.
The ever-growing list of high street stores is helping to popularise the Suit Direct name among a new base of consumers who are less discount-driven and instead are seeking out quality pieces that will last. Outlet stores will remain open, but more high street offerings mean an increasingly strong presence in prominent UK locations for Suit Direct.
Many more new Suit Direct stores are marked to open across the country in the coming months, further establishing the brand on the high street in line with its accelerating growth towards becoming the UK’s leading men’s fashion retailer.
New Store Concept
With the most recent store openings comes a new visual concept. By investing in VM, Suit Direct stores are delivering visual excellence, supplemented by a thorough new retail training programme to ensure the customer experience is the best in the industry.
Market research conducted by Baird Group in existing stores revealed that customers preferred straightforward store fronts, and so the move from ‘SD: Home of Menswear’ to ‘Suit Direct’ was made across all new openings, making it easier for the customer to instantly understand the brand.
A new approach to storefront window concepts sees all bases covered when it comes to suiting. One side displays the latest in “Perfectly Suited” wedding-wear, and the other focuses on pieces “Perfectly Suited” for business.
With colour playing such a big role in the in-store customer experience, the move away from teal to sophisticated greys and yellow accents has elevated Suit Direct interiors. Monochrome gallery walls showcase aspirational look book shots and photography from recent campaigns. Adding to the boutique feel, seating areas and improved fitting rooms encourage a relaxed approach to formalwear shopping.
