Karen Millen is officially returning to the Scottish high street, seven years after the designer firm closed down all stores after collapsing into administration. Several new concessions are set to open nationwide following consumer demand, with the comeback kicking off in Leicester's Fosse Park on Friday, August 14.
Aberdeen opening on August 17
The next opening will be in Aberdeen, with the womenswear label setting up shop in Union Square on Monday, August 17. Prior to its collapse, Karen Millen operated a store in the city's Bon Accord Centre, which opened in 2009.
On the same day, a concession will also open in Liverpool One. The return to bricks-and-mortar retail will not be standalone stores but rather concession outlets stocked in stores operated by The Foschini Group (TFG). Over 40 major labels are owned by the group, including Hobbs London, Phase Eight, Whistles and White Stuff.
Brand heritage and collection
Each store will stock a curated collection focusing on Karen Millen's occasion wear and bestselling pieces, with a particular emphasis on its forever collection. It will celebrate "timeless garments" that have become "enduring bestsellers and signature pieces" for Karen Millen, reports the Retail Gazette.
Karen Millen was founded in 1981 by British entrepreneur and fashion designer Karen Millen. It became known for its collections specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. At the height of its success, it operated 84 standalone stores and 46 concessions across the UK and Ireland, as well as 16 company-owned stores and 57 franchise stores in 23 countries internationally.
Online-only since 2019
The clothing firm has operated as an online-only store since collapsing into administration in 2019. It was bought by the Boohoo Group, later rebranded as the Debenhams Group, in 2018 for £18.2 million.
Debenhams Group CEO Dan Finley said: "Karen Millen is a brand with real heritage, recognition and a loyal customer base, so bringing it back to the high street is a significant moment."
"Our customers want great fashion, but they also want to experience brands in different ways, and physical retail gives us another opportunity to do that. Working with TFG allows us to bring the Karen Millen signature craftsmanship and occasionwear to a new generation of customers, while building on the strength of a brand that has been part of British fashion for more than four decades."
Other returns to Scottish high street
Karen Millen is not the only brand to announce a return to the Scottish high street this year. In June, it was announced that Evans would return to bricks-and-mortar retail with concessions in 30 Yours Clothing stores, with three in Scotland. Established almost a century ago, Evans was one of the most recognisable names in plus-size clothing but ceased operations in 2020 and became online-only.
Jigsaw also recently made a return to Glasgow, six years after it collapsed. The new store is on the lower ground level of Princes Square by M Mall. Prior to this, the retailer operated a store on 177 Ingram Street, one of 13 to close in 2020, leaving just one in Scotland at 48 George Street, Edinburgh.
