The Spanish fashion chain Lefties, owned by Inditex, has opened its first two UK stores, offering clothing at prices comparable to Primark. The retailer's newest shop opened at Lakeside shopping centre in West Thurrock, Essex, at the beginning of November, following the launch of its first British store in Liverpool during the summer.
Lefties sells ranges for women, men, teenagers, children and babies, as well as footwear, accessories and homeware. The Lakeside shop covers 36,000 square feet and includes clothing, footwear and accessories, plus a home collection with textiles, decorations and fragrances.
UK Debut and Store Details
Lefties made its UK debut at Liverpool ONE in August, occupying a 27,000 square foot unit on South John Street. The chain describes itself as an affordable fashion company, with prices on its UK website currently including T-shirts for £5.99 and men's jeans for £19.99.
The retailer has introduced technology to its British stores, including assisted checkouts and smart fitting rooms with hatches where customers can leave unwanted clothes. There is also a robotic system for sorting clothes hangers and another automated system for sorting garments.
Third Store Planned
A third Lefties store is due to open at Metrocentre in Gateshead this winter. At around 50,000 square feet, the North East shop will be larger than the two existing branches and will be located on Town Square, between the Red and Green Malls. It will sell women's and men's fashion, ranges for teenagers, children, babies and newborns, as well as homeware, accessories and footwear.
Ben Cox, director at Sovereign Centros from CBRE, which manages Metrocentre, said when the store was announced: "We're proud to confirm that Lefties are the latest exciting new entrant to commit to Metrocentre. Lefties' trend-savvy offer will be a compelling addition to our retail mix, and this signing, once again, reflects the dominance and appeal of our scheme to both national and international retailers."
Lefties was established in Spain in 1999 and originally operated as an outlet for unsold Zara stock before developing into a fashion retailer with its own collections. It remains part of the Inditex group, with ranges covering everyday clothing, sportswear, underwear, footwear and home products. The two open stores are at Liverpool ONE in Liverpool and Lakeside Shopping Centre in West Thurrock, Essex, with the Metrocentre store in Gateshead due to follow this winter.
