Karen Millen set to conquer the US market with Manhattan flagship store

Contemporary women's wear label Karen Millen will open its largest US store to date, in Manhattan, New York later today. The 5,000 square foot flagship store, located at 587 Fifth Avenue, is Karen Millen's second biggest store worldwide, coming after its newly opened flagship store in Knightsbridge, London, which spans over 8,000

square foot.

The newly opened flagship store will offer Karen Millen's full product range and features an accessories lounge on the ground floor, with changing rooms located in the store's mezzanine. The label has worked closely with design firm Brinkworth Design to ensure the flagship store's concept would fit its brand DNA and easily morph with its continual collections.

Karen Millen opens New York flagship store

The opening of the flagship store in New York, Karen Millen's second store in the city, is part of the label's new growth strategy in the US, which also includes the opening of additional stores in the country over the next three years as well as launching five further concession stands in premium department store chain Bloomingdales.

“With around 70 percent of our sales coming from international markets, our new flagship on fifth Avenue is an important milestone in our global expansion strategy,” commented Mike Shearwood, chief executive officer at Karen Millen. “Alongside our Bloomingdales partnership, and 13 other stores across the US, it gives us a strong foundation to realise the exciting opportunity we can see in the US market.”

In order to boost the brand's design credentials in the US, Karen Millen is also planning on recreating its Shoreditch atelier in Bloomingdales in New York. The label is set to launch a pop-up atelier which will create bespoke leather jackets, one of Karen Millen's signature pieces, opening from September 10 for four weeks.

“There’s strong demand for British – especially London-led – creativity and design expertise across the world and particularly in the US,” commented Gemma Metheringham, chief creative officer at Karen Millen. “With every Karen Millen piece designed, cut and finished in our Shoreditch atelier, the new Fifth Avenue flagship is the perfect destination and backdrop for our collections.”

Karen Millen's ongoing expansion plan in the US is also part of the labels overall scheme to become one of the world's leading accessible luxury fashion brands for women. Over the past year, the contemporary label has relaunched a renewed brand identity, positioning itself as a luxury label, without the designer price tag and introducing new edgy campaigns to showcase its new identity.

The women's wear label currently has over 400 stores spread across six continents and is set to open new stores in Mexico, Norway, India and Taipei later this year.

Image: Karen Millen AW 14 campaign