Victoria’s Secret set to sign for Westfield Stratford

It would be the second UK shop for the retailer, which signed to take a store on New Bond Street earlier this year, as revealed by Retail Week (June 11).

The New Bond Street store is slated to open in 2012, while the Westfield Stratford centre opens in September 2011. However, sources close to the situation said the Stratford store was unlikely to open before New Bond Street, as Victoria’s Secret wants to make a central London debut.

Victoria’s Secret is also in discussions with other major shopping centres, predominantly in the southeast, it is understood, including Bluewater, although no deals are expected to be done imminently due to a lack of adequate space in certain centres.

Victoria’s Secret’s entrance into the UK market is highly anticipated. It comes at a time when other new entrants are making a play for the market, including Abercrombie & Fitch’s lingerie chain Gilly Hicks, which opened its first UK store last week, at Westfield London. Ryman owner Theo Paphitis will launch his new brand Boux Avenue in the spring.

Westfield and Bluewater declined to comment. Victoria’s Secret also declined to comment.