Store gallery: SuperGroup unveils new format in Manchester

The retailer has been flying recently, recovering from its 2014 profit warning and bucking the downward fashion market trend by posting stellar results.

Its new store in Manchester’s Arndale centre is on the same site and took a full seven weeks to refurbish, with SuperGroup trading from a smaller pop-up store in the centre during the refurbishment.

It builds on its refurbishments at Leeds and White City in London and bills itself as a concept store, with a central till, multiple video screens and 40% more product space on its walls.

It has a flexible layout, which creates a shop-in-shop for the brand’s Idris range, designed by actor Idris Elba. The walls feature product groupings of hoody, windbreaker and polos.

Peel Hunt analysts who visited the store earlier this month said: “The old Manchester Arndale store was a typical, larger Superdry store. Merchandising was fine, but the deeper you went, the less reasons there were to continue.

“We found the new store format compelling, particularly in the context of a regional store. The net effect is a more interesting and intuitive customer journey as the store opens up. With an open store front, lighter ceiling and floor level music [so that customers can see and talk more easily], the store is much more inviting.

“More importantly, the ability to showcase key ranges, such as Sport, Idris or seasonal product, really brings the breadth of the product to the regional store customer.”