Newbie is experiencing a growth spurt. Since being spun off as an independent business unit from the Swedish parent company Kappahl, the children’s fashion brand has pursued an ambitious growth strategy in Europe and particularly in its core market of Great Britain, where it has just opened its eleventh store. But the brand has not only built up a loyal audience in this market, its popularity is also increasing in Germany. This can be seen in the opening of the German online shop this year.
For its newest UK store, which opened on November 20th, Newbie chose Ealing Broadway in London. The brand moved into a 133 square meter space there and offers a complete wardrobe for children aged zero to eight.
The store follows new sites in Bromley, Windsor and Bracknell which also opened this year. By choosing Ealing, Newbie continues its strategic focus on the South East of England. This is particularly true in London, where the brand has received a “strong response” from local communities.
The brand has received positive feedback across the UK. It reports financial performance in line with expectations. In an interview with FashionUnited, Gemma Keenor, UK Country Manager at Newbie, said: “We have seen strong and consistent growth in 2025 as a result of our store opening strategy.” She added: “In return, our like-for-like sales and customer footfall are growing compared to last year. We are very pleased that customers in the UK enjoy shopping with us.”
Balance between physical growth and digital rollout
The emphasis on physical stores comes at a time when the relationship between in-person and digital experiences is increasingly blurring. However, for Newbie, both channels are essential to the strategy. “In today’s retail market, we see that our customers like to shop across multiple channels,” says Keenor. “Therefore, availability across all of these channels will remain an important focus for us.”
“The physical stores help showcase the brand. With every physical store we have opened, we have also seen an increase in our online sales. This is a clear indication that physical stores play an important role in building the brand,” explains the UK Country Manager.
Newbie’s expansion reached new heights in 2023. At that time, the Nordic fashion group Kappahl spun off the brand into an independent business unit. At this point, Elisabeth Peregi, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the group of companies, recognized the different potential of the two labels. She therefore wanted to maximize all the opportunities available.
However, the expansion is not exclusively focused on the UK market. Newbie sees itself on the way to becoming a global brand. The company is already getting closer to this goal with 50 independent stores in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland and Great Britain. The brand is also available online in many parts of Europe. Their German e-commerce site launched this year. It is also available in selected Asian countries as well as in Kappahl branches and through third-party providers such as Zalando.
Considered business approach to expansion and values
Speaking about Newbie’s global vision, Keenor says: “This doesn’t mean being present in every country. Rather, we want to be available where there is demand and need for our timeless style and unique offering.” She added: “Our expansion plans are based on customer insights and analysis. The UK is a priority market for us as we receive incredibly positive feedback from our customers.”
Of course, there are challenges with expansion. “The current uncertainty caused by the global situation and the economic climate affects us all,” notes Keenor. “Then there are households’ prospects for their finances and purchasing power.” She looks further ahead: “The transition to a sustainable fashion industry is another key challenge. This will require significant collaboration between us as players in the industry.”
This thoughtful business approach already extends to Newbie’s values. The brand’s collections use materials such as organic cotton and RWS-certified wool. The company has also made further efforts to extend the longevity of its clothing through the Newbie PreLoved program. According to Keenor, customers are deeply committed to this sustainable side of the company. “The purpose of PreLoved is not to increase sales, but to create a circular business model,” she explains.
Looking ahead to 2026, Newbie intends to continue its growth trajectory. Further expansions and strategic initiatives are planned to strengthen the brand internationally. “Our priorities for 2026 are to improve the performance of this [britischen] “We have to evaluate the group of businesses,” concludes Keenor. “Only then will we decide on the next steps in our expansion in the UK.”
This article was created using digital tools translated.
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