This month will see Abercrombie & Fitch opening new stores in two of central London’s key shopping districts. The new spaces are located on the city’s busiest shopping thoroughfare, Oxford Street (at number 325), and in the lively tourist magnet Covent Garden, at 132 Long Acre. 

The stores will open their doors on 31 January and “will showcase updated, engaging spaces, integrated with omnichannel shopping capabilities, connecting both digital and in-person shopping for an enhanced customer experience,” we’re told. 

And borrowing a feature from the luxury end of the market, the Oxford Street location will also have a bookable, private mezzanine lounge with a personal fitting room, seating area and more. 

The company said that for an “even more personalised touch, the stores will feature bespoke, local artwork, representative of the city of London”.

Product-wise, the spaces will offer key product categories including styles from the Best Dressed collection with dresses, shirting and tailoring such as the Collins suit collection. And the company said “an introduction to” Abercrombie’s athleisure brand, Your Personal Best (YPB), will also be available for purchase.

“Establishing an elevated presence at these iconic shopping destinations is a great way to engage with our customer as we continue to grow Abercrombie in London,” said the retailer’s EMEA MD Scott Clarke-Bryan. “With these stores being pinnacle experiences in such famous shopping areas, we’re looking forward to showcasing our latest product offering and connecting with both new and existing customers in 2025.”

The Oxford Street stores is particularly important given that it comes as the street is recovering from the bruising aftermath of the pandemic that saw its footfall plummeting and numerous major brands vacating spaces. 

Before its redevelopment, this particular space — which is also on the corner of New Bond Street — was home to Next. The store in its previous incarnation was quite dark, but the new store looks likely to be much lighter. And Next itself is now housed in a larger and much brighter flagship further up Oxford Street.