Renowned menswear brand, Skopes, is set to open a flagship store in its hometown of Leeds. The heritage tailoring brand will open the doors to its 20th, and largest, bricks-and-mortar store in the White Rose Centre on Saturday 28 September.
The new location symbolises both a major expansion for Skopes and a homecoming to the city where it was originally founded in 1948.
The new 3,800 sq ft store will create eight new roles and offer a full range of menswear, including suits, outerwear, shirts, footwear and accessories in a variety of styles, fits, and colours.
The store has been several years in the making and mixes the brand’s manufacturing heritage with a modern colour scheme to create a light bright and welcoming environment. The layout eschews typical product categories, instead being organised by clearly defined, yet changing style trends and themes, such as ‘Getting Hitched’ and ‘Ready for the Races’.
The store includes two large digital screens which will immerse customers in visuals with a giant bird’s eye view of Leeds, brand mantras celebrating the suit as an icon of clothing across the walls and a bespoke in-store aroma to enhance the overall experience. There are also plenty of informal dwell spaces for sales advisors to chat with customers and understand what they want and need.
Skopes has a rich history in Leeds, dating back 76 years to when it was founded by Sydney Cope. Today, the brand is led by the third generation of the Cope family, CEO Simon Cope, and has continued to expand its reach with 19 existing stores and 15 concessions across the UK.
The nationwide chain opened the first of its next generation concept stores in Westfield, London, in 2018, since adding Meadowhall, Sheffield and the Metro Centre in Newcastle. The White Rose store will be the 20th overall, with further stores planned for 2025.
Speaking about the opening of the White Rose store, Simon said: “Leeds isn’t just where Skopes was founded; it’s in our blood. The city’s heritage in textiles and its appreciation for quality and style have shaped us from day one.
“As the textile industry in Leeds evolved, so has Skopes. We’ve continuously adapted to the changing needs of our customers – including rolling out a broad range of sizes not typically found on the high street – while remaining relevant and maintaining our point of difference. From the outset, we said we did not want a boring ‘suits you, sir’ old-fashioned store. Our aim is to go above and beyond the usual high street experience, every time a customer walks through the door.
“Opening our 20th store in our home city has been on the agenda for a few years and we’ve been waiting for the right location to become available. The White Rose Centre has offered us the chance to showcase our full range of clothing, footwear and accessories and to connect with our local customers in a special way. We can’t wait to welcome them to the store.”
Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose Shopping Centre, added: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Skopes to our line-up here at White Rose. Skopes has built a great reputation as a leading menswear retailer in the past ten years, and we’re thrilled to support a Leeds born-and-bred brand. The new store is set to open with a splash, and we know our guests will enjoy Skopes’ offering.”
Skopes’ White Rose store opens Saturday 28 September at 9:30 am with a ‘brunch party’ that will be open to the public and see VIP guests, as well as live entertainment and an expert stylist in attendance. Shoppers can get 30% off across opening weekend.
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