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Represent's first UK flagship brings a Manchester success story home

Represent's first UK flagship brings a Manchester success story home
Illustrative image: Pexels

Some of the most talked-about British fashion brands of recent years have grown from the North West, and Represent is a prime example. The label was started in Manchester in 2011 by brothers George and Michael Heaton, and it has since built a following far beyond the city.

Its beginnings were modest. Coverage of the brand's growth describes how it started out in their father's shed before developing into an international business, selling largely online to customers around the world.

That growth has been striking. Retail reports noted that sales had grown at an average of more than 80 per cent over three years, and the company secured a place in The Sunday Times ranking of Britain's fastest-growing private companies.

In 2024 Represent took a significant step by opening its first permanent UK store, choosing its home city. The flagship sits on New Cathedral Street, one of Manchester's main shopping streets, and followed a boutique in West Hollywood. FashionUnited described the opening as a shift for a business that had mostly traded online.

The store gives the brand space to show its full range. An entire floor is devoted to 247 by Represent, the performance wear line that the company described at the time as the fastest growing arm of the business.

For many Mancunians the store is a source of local pride. A brand founded by two brothers from the city now has a home among the big names of central Manchester, and fans can see the collections in person rather than only on a screen, and try on pieces they may previously have ordered online.

The company has also spoken about ambitious plans, including further stores, with a second UK shop in London's Soho planned for 2025. Whatever comes next, the New Cathedral Street flagship marks the moment a Manchester story came home.

The flagship is within easy walking distance of Victoria station and the city's main shopping streets, and the latest collections and store details are available on the brand's website.