Wolf and Badger to open global flagship at Coal Drops Yard

British fashion retailer Wolf and Badger has announced that it will be opening a three-storey global flagship at the Coal Drops Yard retail and leisure development in King’s Cross.

Wolf and Badger, which is known for its promotion of independent brands and labels, has secured a 12,000 square foot unit in the Heatherwick Studio-designed shopping quarter in King’s Cross, which will house a curated selection of unique and ethical fashion and design labels spanning womenswear, menswear, accessories, jewellery, beauty and homeware.

Housed in the site of the legendary nightclub Bagley’s, the Wolf and Badger flagship will bring together its existing London stores into a much larger space, with concessions including a fashion magazine and book store, a stationery store and a florist.

In addition, there will be an in-store cold-pressed juice bar from Raw Press, a dedicated events space to allow the retailer to host regularly changing retail concepts, and a new restaurant run by a “celebrated chef” on the top floor – the ‘Bagley’s dancefloor’, who will be announced in the coming weeks.

Wolf and Badger will also bring together its creative hub ‘Wolf and Badger Studios’, and its head office into the unit at Coal Drops Yard.

Henry Graham, creative director and co-founder of Wolf and Badger, said in a press release: “Great stores are about more than just shopping and we've always wanted to create a space like this to present a dynamic and differentiated experience to our customers. With this launch, we are curating a destination where art, culture, gastronomy and events can all come together under one roof to complement our signature selection of ethical, unique and unusual products.

“The central London location of Coal Drops Yard is amazing and the entire redevelopment has significant architectural merit. Argent shares our vision for a truly unique store concept and has also been very selective in its choice of co-tenancies. As such, we have decided to relocate both our London stores together into this flagship retail unit.”

Since launching its website and first boutique in Notting Hill in 2010, Wolf and Badger has used its platform to promote upcoming designers and to allow them to reach new audiences. Its website currently has more than 700 brand partners with a strong focus on ethical, unique and independent brands. Wolf and Badger now operates worldwide, including through its multi-purpose store and events space in SoHo, New York.

Coal Drops Yard adds to line up with new Wolf and Badger flagship store

The new Wolf and Badger flagship will join more than 50 stores, restaurants and cafés in the new shopping district set within the historic buildings and arches directly adjacent to Granary Square and Regent’s Canal. The Coal Drops Yard development has already confirmed a number of fashion brands and retailers including Paul Smith, Cubitts, Lost Property of London, Beija London, Emin and Paul, Cheaney, Tom Dixon, Tracey Neuls, The Sports Edit, and S120.

Coal Drops Yard states that no space is the same, with stores and restaurants located in canal-side arches fronting onto cobbled courtyards, within the original ‘coal drops’ and across a series of raised iron viaducts. Larger statement stores sit at each street corner, with one dual-aspect space crowning the street, located directly beneath Heatherwick Studio’s striking ‘kissing’ rooftops.

While Lower Stable Street, a sunken street between Coal Drops Yard and Stable Street, will also open this October, offering spaces for a range of smaller pop-up and experimental stores, complementing and offering a different aspect to the Coal Drops Yard experience.

Craig White, senior project director at Argent, added: “Wolf and Badger’s new three-storey flagship will be one of the first sights that greet visitors to Coal Drops Yard as they enter from Granary Square. I can’t think of a better exemplar for what the district stands for than what their talented team are creating – something that’s at once bold and new, while being entirely sympathetic to its outstanding heritage location.

“This was the site of the legendary Bagley’s nightclub, where people gathered from far and wide for a shared experience, and Wolf and Badger are very much channelling this energy and spirit into creating a space that’s more than a store – it’s a meeting place. Their promotion of independent brands will be integral to what we’re creating at Coal Drops Yard, where they’ll be joined by a unique mix of global names, innovative restaurateurs and emerging retailers. We’re thrilled to welcome them to our community, and look forward to the store opening later this year.”

Coal Drops Yard confirmed earlier this month that it would be opening its 100,000 square foot of shops, bars and restaurants in the centre of King's Cross to the public on October 26.

Images: courtesy of Coal Drops Yard