Page 57 - May2021

lisBon
The stunning capital city of Portugal, and is one of the charismatic and vibrant
cities of Europe, effortlessly blending traditional heritage with striking modernism and
progressive thinking. It is a bustling and exciting that boasts a wide choice of activities
and fascinating tourist attractions. Surprisingly, Lisbon is still one of Europe’s least visited
capitals, but this is rapidly changing as new visitors discover the allure of Portugal.
Lisbon may have largely old-world looks, but the city is rife with cutting-edge concept
stores that can stand alongside some of the world’s coolest retail addresses. An example
is Embaixada in Principe Real combines old and new – set within a 19th-centure palace,
its two storeys are filled with wares ranging from handmade jewellery and ceramic to
organic cosmetics and edgy fashion. Lisbon’s many boutiques and independent designers’
stock pieces that fall well outside of the high street’s radar. As the world begins to
find its new normal, more and more people will get the opportunity to traverse this
wonderful city. Key retail streets and areas include Avenida da Liberdade, Chiado and
Baixa and new retailers to the city were Omega, Rolex, Flying Tiger Extreme, Sunglass
Hut, Vans, Calvin Klein Watches, Jo Malone, Bobby Brown, Kicks, MAC and Intimissimi.

lonDon
One of the world’s most important global cities, it exerts a considerable impact
upon the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media,
professional services, research and development, tourism and transportation. For decades
London has led the way in terms of innovation, fashion and retail trends and it is
the focal location for new retailers seeking representation in the UK. Playing a key
role on the regional, national and international stage, it is a top target destination for
international retailers, and has attracted a greater number of international brands than
any other city globally. In recent times, and something that seems to be continuing
through the pandemic is the number of retailers’ upsizing flagship stores in the city.
Another developing trend is the growing number of food markets. For example, Eataly
has just launched its largest global flagship in Broadgate, a 42,000sq ft haven. The
major streets and areas of this global city are Central London, The West End, Bond
Street, Mayfair, Regent Street and Covent Garden, Kensington High Street, Knightsbridge,
King’s Road and Spitalfields and Shoreditch. Meanwhile key retailers include Flannels,
Asics, H&M Home, Givenchy, Birkenstock, Fortnum & Mason, Blue Mint, Apple, Escada
and Balenciaga.

Milan
The city has long been considered Italy’s most modern city – a place that combines
the best of the country’s renowned culture with a thriving business and finance centre,
and a distinctive cosmopolitan edge. Despite being smaller than many other major
European cities, Milan, in recent years, has managed to redevelop large urban areas and
has become one of the most prominent cities in Europe from a real estate perspective.
Milan is an internationally appealing city, regularly hosting major global events such
as Fashion Week. It is a city that attracts the biggest names in fashion and luxury,
captivating thousands of tourists with its cuisine and architecture. The food and drink
culture is also huge in Milan – it is, after all, the birthplace of Campari, a bitter aperitif
that dates from the 1860s when Gaspare Campari opened his first Milanese café and
decided to create a drink that would serve to stimulate the appetite. The iconic sites
in this incredible location are Quadrilatero della Moda, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, Via
Torino, Via Dante, Piazza Cordusio, Brera, Corso Buenos Aires, Corso Vercelli, Piazza Gae
Aultenti and Corso Venezia. New entrants to this wonderful city include Urban Outfitters,
Nike, NBA Store, Apple, Pittarosso, Woolrich and Calzedonia.

MAY 2021 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 57