BRITISH menswear clothing brand LUKE 1977 has chosen the Boulevard in Banbridge for its first Ireland outlet, creating five jobs.
It's the seventh new retailer to set its sights on the designer outlet in the past two years, with the most recent being Claire’s, which opened its doors just one week prior to LUKE in October.
Established in the West Midlands in 2001, LUKE has developed into a leading contemporary menswear brand with a following stretching far and wide.
Having grown with the support of key independent menswear boutiques, the brand has evolved organically.
The son of a talented dressmaker, Luke Roper started making one-off shirts for his friends at the age of 15.
This passion then grew into the well-known menswear brand that has an impressive sporting portfolio too, working in partnership with iconic football club Aston Villa, boxing heavyweight title contender Joe Joyce and world top 25 tennis player Dan Evans.
Carrying a mainline, junior, sport and performance collection, LUKE 1977 is a lifestyle brand that will stand the test of time.
Founder Luke Roper said: “The strong customer base made the Boulevard the ideal location to open our first-ever store in Northern Ireland. With a fantastic pull of customers, we feel it will be the perfect fit.”
Investing in employees and their futures has always been a priority for LUKE 1977 and something that will continue as it grows and develops its presence in Northern Ireland.
Pauline Tipping, retail operations manager at the Boulevard, said: “We are thrilled LUKE 1977 chose here as its first stand-alone Ireland store. Coming to the end of what has been a successful trading year, it is a fantastic addition to our enviable retail offering.
“Growing our retail variety over the past number of years has cemented the Boulevard as Northern Ireland’s premier designer outlet and we are proud that LUKE 1977 joins over 50 global brands at the scheme.”
The store openings coincided with the Boulevard scooping first prize in the Innovative Marketing Campaign category at the 2021 Global Retail and Leisure International Awards.
Monthly sales figures also show that every trading month of 2021 has achieved a top 10 position in the Boulevard’s entire trading history.
