Where London's next retail wave is coming from

One minute you’re landing in Nice, bound for Cannes, the next, it seems, you’re back at the airport, the flurry of the festival behind you.

After months of preparation and anticipation, MAPIC has a way of flying by. Something about the intense rush of activity under that bright Cote D’Azur sun speeds up time.

When you’re there it’s about the gossip, the trends, the big picture views, the connections you make and the prospects they promise. When you’re back, and the dust has truly settled, that’s the time to reflect on it all.

Europe is driving the majority of new signings across London. These are brands with strong digital roots and a disciplined, design-led approach to physical retail…From China, Urban Revivo, Miniso and Pop Mart have arrived with scale and theatrical design; Singapore's TWG Tea brings premium food culture; Japan's Onitsuka Tiger continues to blend heritage and fashion relevance.

Korean influence is growing fast. UK-based specialists Pure Seoul and Skin Cupid are translating K-beauty culture for London shoppers through immersive formats and curated brand mixes.

P-Three was there, at the heart of the action. Our own Thomas Rose moderated a key panel discussion, on the vital role social media engagement now plays in informing successful leasing strategies. We did a pre-MAPIC Perspective on this - check it out here.

And as ever we had a keen eye on the next big things - the retailer set to form the new wave of brands headed for London. We’re always listening out for the gossip, the hints about possible new arrivals and big cross-border moves. And there’s no chattier time or place than MAPIC.

Looking back, the mood at MAPIC was good; although that might have had something to do with the stunning weather. There was lots of talked about the lack of prime stock – a sure sign that the market is back! In prime locations it's a landlord’s market, but outside that the retail market is thin at best.

And there was a big buzz around the Chinese operators who spoke at Thomas' presentation; they were talking a big game on expansion, especially after seeing the success of Miniso and Pop mart in the UK. But note, initially their expansion is likely to be focused elsewhere in Europe, where they are more confident about turnover levels and the total occupational costs are lower.

Which brings us on to another big shift.

There was a time when America dominated every landlord's radar. A time when the quickest way to make headlines was to land a big US name. American Eagle, Victoria's Secret, and Forever 21 were on the expansion trail and London was the launchpad.

That era has shifted. The brands signing today come from everywhere- Europe, Asia, North and South America- each bringing new ideas about store formats, investment, and community. If you want to know where the next wave’s coming from, it might be much closer offshore than you think.

Europe: Design, Craft and Everyday Luxury

Europe is driving the majority of new signings across London. These are brands with strong digital roots and a disciplined, design-led approach to physical retail.

From France, Sephora, Polène, Jonak, Parfums de Marly, Parfum Privés, and Horace have opened stores, joined by beauty and fragrance heavyweights Byredo (Sweden) and D&G Beauty (Italy).

Scandinavia remains a powerhouse of understated quality - Rains and NN.07 (Denmark) and Arket (Sweden) capture the London customer's appetite for minimalist fashion.

Germany contributes Puma, Birkenstock, Kapten & Son, and Thule; Switzerland's On Running bridges performance and lifestyle with ease.

Further south, Alohas, Flabelus, and Lefties from Spain, plus Autry, Kiko Milano, and Salomon from Italy and France, add energy across fashion and active categories.

Ireland's Sculpted by Aimee is proving that digital-first beauty can thrive in bricks-and-mortar.

For landlords, Europe's value is reliability: brands connected with their consumers, who commit long-term and elevate the overall retail mix.

Asia: Culture, Experience and Ambition

Asia is reshaping experience-driven retail in London.

From China, Urban Revivo, Miniso and Pop Mart have arrived with scale and theatrical design; Singapore's TWG Tea brings premium food culture; Japan's Onitsuka Tiger continues to blend heritage and fashion relevance.

Korean influence is growing fast. UK-based specialists Pure Seoul and Skin Cupid are translating K-beauty culture for London shoppers through immersive formats and curated brand mixes.

These entrants share a focus on storytelling and sensory retail- formats that boost dwell time and create a reason to visit. For landlords, this wave represents tenants who think in experiences, not transactions.

Chinese childrenswear group Balabala is preparing for its European launch, in Italy next year. You might not have heard much about them yet, but given the fact that they have in excess of 4,500 stores in Hong Kong and China alone, a major European presence, and a future London arrival, seem more than likely.

And another name we should all start practising is Xiaomi (although they have had a false start in London before, as have Urban Revivo- the UK market is like no other to crack), the Chinese smartphones and consumer electronics giant which has plans for no less than 10,000 overseas stores over the next five years. Through its Electric Vehicle division, Xiaomi is also planning thousands of European EV showrooms and stores for the coming years.

North America: Lifestyle and Performance Reimagined

North American brands are still setting the tone for lifestyle and performance, but with a sharper focus. Alo, Vuori, Skims, Kith, Abercrombie & Fitch, Fabletics, Fanatics, Saucony and Canada's Arc'teryx are all active.

They're using London not for scale but for signal- creating flagship stores that double as brand showcases, community spaces, and marketing stages. Fit-outs are higher, footprints smaller, and storytelling stronger.

These operators bring global visibility and aspirational pull- useful leverage for estates looking to refresh perception or draw new audiences.

UK-Founded Brands Expanding in London

Home-grown retail confidence is quietly rebuilding. Space NK, Beauty Pie, Tala, Odd Muse, Sunspel, Needle & Thread, and Vivobarefoot are each expanding or refreshing formats across the capital.

Together, they're creating a tenant base that's broader, steadier, and more resilient than anything we've seen in the past decade. The opportunity now lies in reading these patterns early- identifying which markets are generating scalable, experience-driven concepts and aligning leasing strategies accordingly.

At P-Three, we're tracking these movements closely to help landlords anticipate the next opportunity - whether that's a Spanish fashion newcomer, a Korean beauty disruptor, or a Swiss performance brand redefining active retail. Because the next wave of retail isn't from one place.

It's from everywhere and it's already landing in London.

Article by Hannah McNamara, P-Three

Photo: MAPIC