All Saints takes Nokia’s Regent Street flagship

The 15,000 sq ft shop will open in May and be a flagship for All Saints, which has 60 shops in the UK and Ireland, plus concessions in department stores including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

Nokia took the decision to pull out of Regent Street in December last year after just two years because of disappointing sales. Retail Week revealed at the time that All Saints and US lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret were interested in the site (Retail Week, December 4, 2009). It is understood Victoria’s Secret - which has been eyeing the UK for some time - decided that the store was not big enough for its debut.

All Saints will also open a shop in New York on Broadway and another on Boston’s Newbury Street in May. The fashion retailer has been pushing ahead with overseas expansion since securing a £30m financing deal from Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets last July.

It has already opened stores in Miami in the Aventura Mall, at Miami Beach, and in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.

All Saints chief executive Stephen Craig said that the US stores had generated a “positive response”.

Property agency CWM advised All Saints on the Regent Street deal, and Harper Dennis Hobbs acted for Nokia.

All Saints also has standalone stores in Paris, Berlin and Antwerp and is scouting for further European stores. The shops are expected to continue to demonstrate the distinctive All Saints vintage look.