Astrid & Miyu opens first global flagship store: ‘Experiential retail is integral’

Physical retail remains an avenue in which brands can evolve and experiment with their identity in the context of the real world. It is exactly this that has led London-based jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu (A&M) to open its first global flagship store, achieving a dream that its team has held for years and thus cementing its presence further within the brick and mortar sphere.

‘House of A&M’ (HOAM), the 1,900 square foot concept store, is located in the bustling heart of the brand’s home city in the Carnaby Street area, placing it among other brands of its calibre that, compared to the usual high street regulars, hold a more contemporary character, such as Ba&sh, Ganni, Stine Goya and Nobody’s Child. A quick stroll through the district also reveals a trend favoured among this specific lineup of labels. That of experiential retail.

Home to the first A&M Café

The concept of experience-based stores – in which traditional shopping takes on a more immersive, interactive and personalised form – is one that the team of A&M believes is the future of retail, and something that customers are already seeking in the present day. “Customers want to have an elevated shopping experience where they can create memories through experiential retail. This is integral to the future of retail and it’s something we’ve been passionate about since opening our first store over seven years ago,” Sarah Hrywnak, A&M’s chief marketing officer told FashionUnited.

With this in mind, the store was built on the foundation of being a ‘Home from HOAM’, designed to give the brand’s already existing community a “sense of belonging” and a space that they can create memories in. Next to the usual presence of core, seasonal and exclusive collections, which dominate the ground floor, in-store experiences are offered in the form of welding stations for bracelets and anklets and three studios for piercing and fine-line tattoos. It also marks the first time the brand has included its A&M Café concept in store, where customers can enjoy Instagram-friendly coffees.

Another unique aspect comes into play when customers purchase an item. Upon selecting their desired product, shoppers can order via store staff and collect their purchase at a kiosk upstairs where it will be packaged. All of these elements sit within a space designed by Seen Studios, which has merged design features, like an abstract 3D orb made of lighting, with A&M’s staple brand signatures, such as its colour palette of soft pinks and neutrals.

Retail revolutionising jewellery experience is brand trademark

Founder of the brand, Connie Nam, who set up A&M in 2012 from her Notting Hill flat, further highlighted the brand’s reliance and relationship with retail, stating in a release: “Our ongoing investment into experiential physical retail and where we have focused on revolutionising the jewellery experience has become a trademark for us as a brand, so to bring this immersive A&M experience to our largest, two-level store feels like a natural next step.”

This sentiment towards the retail sector comes despite British high streets and fashion retail having endured a turbulent relationship in recent years. Yet, one sector’s misfortune can be another’s opportunity. This seems to ring true for the jewellery and accessories industries, ones that appear to have retained faith in the physical retail landscape amid growing appreciation for the categories from UK consumers. Such confidence is only bolstered by anticipated growth for the market’s future.

According to Statista, for example, the UK jewellery market is projected to generate a revenue of 4.77 billion dollars (3.68 billion pounds) this year, with a further forecasted compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.58 percent, from 2024 to 2028. This is in spite of an ongoing cost-of-living crisis in the region, which has seen many consumers turn away from the fashion sector as their spending power diminishes. Yet, data gathered by Business Gateway has shown that jewellery purchases have “remained resilient” and, together with high-end watches, are in fact stimulating the growth of the UK’s luxury industry.

Jewellery sector remains resilient in face of fashion’s uncertainty

This sign of strength is reflected in A&M’s own performance, and resulting expansion plans. While the brand’s financials for the years 2023 or 2024 have not yet been made public, Hrywnak ascertained that the company was still growing year-on-year at a “steady rate”. This comes after an uplifting 2022 when, alongside reporting a turnover of 20.7 million pounds, A&M returned to a profit-making position, with an operating profit of 1.6 million pounds, up from a loss in the year prior.

It was already then that A&M had outlined a growth plan focused on international expansion of both e-commerce and retail on the back of opening its first permanent retail location in the US. This strategy largely came in the form of regional store openings, with new locations appearing in UK cities like Bristol, Edinburgh and Brighton, as well as pop-ups – one having been hosted in Paris – and concessions – a Harrods location opened in March 2024.

These efforts are all part of the brand’s attempts to widen its community, Hrywnak said, particularly when it comes to omnichannel experiences. “Omnichannel has always been important in our mission of ‘Revolutionising the jewellery experience’ and it’s something we were passionate about adopting early on into our A&M journey,” said Hrywnak, together with global store design manager, Shannon Hatfield. “Experiential retail is at the heart of the brand alongside building communities, so physical spaces are integral in this. When we’ve opened a new store in a new location, we see a great halo effect on our e-commerce showing the importance of having a physical presence alongside e-commerce.”

Ultimately, each step A&M takes contributes to its wider vision of becoming a “cult brand” that has “a purpose people can relate and resonate with”. As such, the company wants to continue bringing its experiences closer to the community it has built, with no plans to slow down on a global expansion, particularly in the US and Europe, the latter to receive its first A&M store outside of the UK and Ireland later this year. “As a business, we are constantly innovating and ensuring we’re ahead of the curve,” Hrywnak concluded.