VIA Outlets has a strong year despite the pandemic

VIA Outlets, Europes fastest-growing owner-operator of premium fashion outlet destinations, has reported that it has made more than 300 deals so far in 2020, showcasing the resilience of the outlet industry during a “difficult year”.

Since the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, VIA Outlets has completed more than 110 new deals, has had 117 new store openings and 12 new brands joining its portfolio.

In total, new leases, renewals, upsizes and downsizes representing a total area of 43,300 square metres have been concluded so far in 2020, with VIA Outlets adding that “even more deals” are still in legal.

This includes 12 entirely new brands joining the VIA Outlets portfolio, including American Eagle, L’Oreal, Pinko, Cavalli Class, Samsøe and Samsøe and digital-native Na-Kd.

Highlights of some of the deals and openings include American Eagle, which opened its first European outlets in Fashion Arena Prague Outlet and Landquart Fashion Outlet in Switzerland, while Michael Kors signed and opened boutiques in Hede Fashion Outlet outside Gothenburg, Landquart Fashion Outlet and Sevilla Fashion Outlet and upsized its stores in Vila do Conde Porto Fashion Outlet and Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet in Amsterdam.

Batavia Stad Fashion Outlet opened several stores including Royal Delft, the first-ever Radley boutique on the European mainland and the first experience outlet store from F1-driver Max Verstappen.

Jorge Sánchez Mera, head of leasing at VIA Outlets, said in a statement: “Our leasing team has redoubled its efforts to remerchandise VIA Outlets’ centres despite this year’s lockdowns and centre closures. It has been great to see heightened interest from retailers even during these turbulent times – proving that outlets are more relevant than ever in the current retail climate.

“This is evidenced both by the number of new brands joining the portfolio – some opening their very first outlet stores – and the high percentage of current brand partners choosing to take up additional space on a temporary or permanent basis, many of them in new regions as a way of testing new markets.”

Otto Ambagtsheer, chief executive at VIA Outlets, added: “Remerchandising is a cornerstone of VIA Outlets’ 3 R’s strategy as it allows us to offer guests an unrivalled mix of the very best international and local brands. Working closely with brand partners has been key during the Covid-19 pandemic and seeing that brands are choosing to renew contracts or take up additional space during this highly unusual year is a great reflection of the brands’ trust in VIA Outlets as a business partner and of the overall resilience of the outlet sector.”

Images: courtesy of VIA Outlets