French Connection returns to Guildford as UK expansion continues

The fashion and lifestyle brand French Connection is continuing its expansion strategy by establishing a new location in the centre of Guildford.

The company made a comeback to the city that served as one of its initial retail locations with the weekend opening.

The brand’s “aesthetic and design… featuring a clean and minimalist atmosphere that enhances the carefully curated product offerings” throughout women’s and menswear is replicated in the high street location.

The opening coincides with the company’s return to the city centre, having moved back to Manchester Arndale in early December with the arrival of a 2,189-square-foot store.

All of this is a part of a plan to expand the number of physical stores in the UK from the current 30 to 40–50 over the course of the next several years. Target formats, according to French Connection managing director of direct to consumer Simon Donoghue, include both outlet and full-price stores on high streets and in retail centres.

Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, smaller cities like Windsor and Solihull, as well as academic hubs Oxford and Cambridge, are on the list of possible full-price stores.

All of this stands in stark contrast to the company’s previous shop closures, which included several significant flagships, due to its diminishing success several years prior.