Ralph Lauren to open store in Leeds city centre

Ralph Lauren represents another retail first for the city. Iain Mitchell, UK Commercial Director for Hammerson

LUXURY FASHION brand Ralph Lauren is to open a store in Leeds.

The company is to join the line-up of international brands at Victoria Leeds. It will be the designer’s first store in the city.

Victoria Quarter and Victoria Gate form part of property development group Hammerson’s Victoria Leeds premium shopping destination, which houses a range of designer and aspirational retail and dining brands.

Ralph Lauren is one of the world’s most widely recognised designer brands, with products including apparel, accessories, and fragrance collections for men and women, as well as childrenswear and home furnishings.

The signing marks the latest in a number of firsts for Leeds in the past 12 months, with luxury British perfume house, Penhaligon’s, The Ivy restaurant and brassiere and lifestyle brand, Seasalt, all taking space.

Iain Mitchell, UK commercial director for Hammerson, said: “Ralph Lauren represents another retail first for the city and is a superb addition to the existing line-up of aspirational and lifestyle brands at Victoria Leeds.

“Signings such as this demonstrate that demand from premium brands for high quality retail space in growing UK cities such as Leeds remains strong.”

The Ralph Lauren Corporation was formed in 1967, initially selling men’s ties.

Lauren worked for the tie manufacturer Beau Brummell and had persuaded the company’s president to let him start his own line.

He worked out of a showroom in the Empire State Building in New York City.

Drawing on his interests in sports, Lauren named his first full line of menswear ‘Polo’ in 1968.