News & Insights

From K beauty to sportswear via smartphones and luxury brands, experts unveiled the coolest retailers in the world right now during a presentation at the World Retail Congress in Berlin on Wednesday.

"The levels of innovation in retail this year have been phenomenal,” said Matt Newell, CEO and Partner at creative agency, The General Store. “Making time to appreciate coolness in retail is really important.”

Newell and colleague Reid Nakou guided delegates through the retailers they said are pushing boundaries, building cult followings and generating billions through creativity and risk-taking.

Luxury brand Louis Vuitton topped the list thanks to its flagship store in Shanghai. At 1,600 sq m, the store has a “stunning entrance” with “each room telling a different story,” said Newell.

Vans was also recognised in the top 10 for its collaborations - including with luxury fashion house Valentino - as well as its flagship store on Regent Street in London, which can be transformed into a skating point.

“It’s had a huge following on social media so we’ve seen that it’s worked very well,” said Newell.

Also featured was South Korean beauty retailer Olive Young, which recently launched its N store in Seongsu, Seoul.

“It feels a bit more like a department store,” said Nakou. “K beauty is the fastest growing beauty market in the world. It’s really disrupting that beauty power structure.”

Other retailers highlighted in the list included smartphone brand Nothing, toy retailer Pop Mart, Australian beauty chain Mecca Brands and Chinese sportswear giant Anta Sports.