LONDON — Luggage brand Carl Friedrik is packing its bags and heading to 27 Regent Street for its first retail store.
The neo-Baroque style store is in a Grade II-listed building, which means it’s protected by Historic England, a public body of the British government. Only minor restorations are allowed to take place with permission, such as painting or replacing doors and windows.
“It’s an exciting location because Regent Street is known by everyone, and around the corner it’s Jermyn Street, which is a hub for menswear and tailoring,” said Niklas Oppermann, cofounder of Carl Friedrik with his brother Mattis, in an interview.
The brothers also considered locations in Covent Garden, Marylebone, Chelsea, but settled on Regent Street in the end for its commerciality as its a tourist hotspot and it’s in walking distance from stores such as Church’s Sartoria Rossi on Jermyn Street.
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This isn’t the brand’s first foray into stand-alone retail. The brothers experimented with a pop-up at the Royal Exchange in 2016.
The pop-up was a commercial success, but operationally it was a challenge and the brothers said they learned from the experience.
At the time, the brand was still in its early stages and didn’t have the budget for hiring contractors or designers. Everything was done in-house, from setting up plinths to styling the products.
“[This time] we want to differentiate ourselves from a regular retail environment. The store is almost like walking into a gallery with the products sitting on plinths with little information cards. We want to draw a parallel to a piece of art, rather than having 15 suitcases stacked together,” Oppermann said.
Everything in the store is based around Carl Friedrik’s minimal design aesthetic, and the brothers’ work with interior designer Tabitha Isobel.
The store features the brand’s signature shades of rich brown and dark chocolate with touches of ivory. The long ivory curtains are meant to add texture to the 2,000-square-foot space, while large landscape imagery adds more color.
Looking ahead, Oppermann said he is interested in opening a store in New York, but there are no concrete plans in place yet.
In an oversaturated luggage market, Carl Friedrik has carved out a space alongside competitors such as Rimowa, Antler and Away.
Their luggage has a signature orange trim that’s become instantly recognizable and the price tag is 595 British pounds and under.
The suitcases have been featured in hit Max shows such as “Succession” and “The White Lotus,” as well as Netflix’s “The Gentlemen,” opening the brand to a whole new customer base.
The brand closed its first investment round this year by raising 1 million pounds, which will be put toward design, development, manufacturing and the retail part of the business.
