In Pictures: Birkenstock's debut UK flagship store in Covent Garden

London - Footwear label Birkenstock has opened its first company-owned UK flagship store on Neal Street in London's famed Covent Garden.

The debut store opening follows on from pop-up Birkenstock Box concept stores opening in Milan and Berlin this summer, as well as a pop-up in Barneys, New York. Birkenstock's UK flagship store, located in Seven Dials, spans 60 square meters of retail space on the ground floor. The store offers 250 shoe styles for women, men and children, making it the largest in the UK, as well as Birkenstock bags, legwear and accessories.

Birkenstock opens first company-owned flagship store in London

Hover your mouse over the photo below to learn more about Birkenstock's newest store

"It is an essential part of our global retail ambition to open our own stores in strategic, high traffic locations and vibrant neighbourhoods. London is a key market for Birkenstock and we are thrilled to open our first store in the artistic and historic Covent Garden neighbourhood," said Oliver Reichert, CEO of Birkenstock in a statement. "This London opening follows a few months of ephemeral stores, our Birkenstock Box concept, which allows us to develop a global retail experiment with key partners."

The store's interior features materials such as leather and cork, key materials for the brand, throughout. Key design elements include an oversized footbed installation which has been sculpted into a concrete and framed in leather. Display units are layered with felt, another main material for Birkenstock, which are held together with brown leather straps.

The 243-year old footwear brand aims to continue expanding by engaging directly with consumers through its pop-up and own store openings. The footwear brand has also been entering new product categories, launching its own skincare label and beds earlier this year. Birkenstock has also been investing in its own e-commerce after it stopping selling its footwear via Amazon due to counterfeiting issues.

Photos: Courtesy of Birkenstock