LSN : News : New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

SOOO, UK

UK – A new retail concept is putting women’s sport centre stage this summer. Style Of Our Own London (SOOO), an immersive pop-up dedicated to women’s sportswear and community, has opened on Regent Street ahead of the UK’s packed women’s sports season.

Backed by Mastercard and selected from over 800 applicants for Westminster City Council’s Meanwhile On programme, the store champions small, independent brands often missing from mainstream shelves.

Alongside shopping, visitors can test kit on an in-store three-a-side pitch and join more than 200 talks, runs and workshops.

‘At SOOO, we believe women should have access to the best equipment whether they’re lacing up for a run on the pitch, attending a fitness class or representing their country in a competitive fixture,’ said Laura Youngson, founder of IDA Sports and SOOO. ‘SOOO is going to be the home of women’s sport this summer and we can’t wait to meet you all.’

Our Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom report examined how brands are transforming their retail spaces into hubs for sports communities, fostering loyalty and cultural identity.

Strategic opportunity

Tap into rising demand for spaces that reflect people’s values and interests by curating retail environments around emerging cultural movements – from women’s sport to wellness or craftsmanship — turning bricks-and-mortar stores into experience-led community destinations

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, senior foresight analyst Rose Coffey dives into regenerative fibres, culture-coded brand activations and Millennial purchase drivers.

: This week, as part of Blue Earth Summit and London Climate Action Week, I attended a panel hosted by Woolmark. Amy Powney, founder of Akyn, proposed that innovation is about reconnecting and rerouting. ‘Regeneration in the purest sense – whether it’s soil or renewables – comes hand in hand with modernity and innovation,’ she said.

I loved this idea, as innovation in the fashion and textiles sector is often associated with high-tech solutions, while agricultural regeneration and creating positive impact – rather than simply neutralising existing damage – are frequently overlooked. Powney’s comment echoes a wider shift I’m seeing; the next wave of fashion innovation isn’t solely about digital breakthroughs; it’s about supply chain symbiosis and reconnecting with natural cycles.

: To mark festival season (I’ll be watching Glastonbury from the comfort of my bed), Burberry launched a themed campaign which included a pub quiz at The Walmer Castle in Notting Hill. Images of branded pint glasses, fish and chips and chequered fans filled my feed – a playful and culturally relevant brand moment, echoing ideas explored in our Culture-coded Retail report.

: In other news, I loved reading this generational breakdown about understanding Millennial consumers in Vogue Business this week. The article identified a trio of purchase drivers – value, quality and originality. It echoed many of the broader ideas explored in our New Codes of Value report, particularly around shifting expectations of what constitutes worth in today’s consumer landscape.

Scenes From the Last Day on Planet Earth by Chris Maggio, US

Quote of the Week

‘The most important thing that any of us can do is buy less, buy the best product that's going to last a long time, like wool that can be recycled at the end of life’

Chris Gaffney, CEO, Johnstons of Elgin (at Woolmark’s Blue Earth Summit panel)

Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

Nike Women Spring 2023 campaign. Photography by Renell Medrano, US

Global – Despite driving an estimated £25 trillion ($31.8 trillion, €29.4 trillion) in global discretionary spending, nearly half of women worldwide say brands don’t understand them, according to new research from Wasserman’s women-focused platform The Collective.

The report, which surveyed nearly 9,000 women in 10 countries, reveals that 49% of women feel that businesses fail to reflect their needs, and the same percentage says that marketing still relies on outdated stereotypes. Authenticity remains critical, with 91% of women valuing it.

‘Women are telling us what matters to them and what doesn’t,’ said Thayer Lavielle, managing director of The Collective. ‘They clearly want products that support and reflect their lives, values and priorities.’

The research also finds that younger women are most likely to feel misunderstood, highlighting inauthentic marketing, irrelevant products and weak emotional connection. The report urges brands to rethink reach in favour of micro trust where women are addressed as whole individuals whose lifestyles, values and identity are considered, rather than being seen as reductive demographic targets.

Explore our New Codes of Value macrotrend report to understand how businesses can resonate with today’s consumers by delivering care, connection, transformation, resourcefulness and a sense of enoughness.

Strategic opportunity

Move beyond generic labels and connect with your community through focus groups, events and co-creation opportunities to ensure you are designing products, campaigns and experiences that speak to real women's needs