A Nottingham-based clothing brand is set to open a new store in the middle of the city centre next month. Universal Works has moved into one of the recently renovated stores on Derby Road.
The company, which sells contemporary, clothing, already has a head office and shop base on Broad Street above Rough Trade. Universal Works is stocked all over the world with stores in Berlin and has stockists in Los Angeles and Seoul.
The distinctive logo has been added above the door of the Derby Road property along with signage across the large windows advertising the opening. Builders have been hard at work transforming the inside of the shop ready for the brand to move in.
Read more: Owner calls for someone to do 'better job than I did' as pizza joint closes down
Universal Works has a focus on strong design and excellent fit, selling everything from fleece jumpers to cord jackets. The designs were inspired by the founder's upbringing in a working-class family in the Midlands in the 1970s.
Co-founder David Keyte is also the designer for the label and has a long career spanning more than 30 years in the fashion industry. He began the company from his kitchen table with his wife, Stephanie Porritt, in 2009 and has worked with industry legends such as Paul Smith and Maharishi.
From small beginnings, the brand has grown to more than 40 UK stockists and 300 globally. Derby Road has had a revival in recent months with many new businesses moving onto the street including the Whistle and Flute, Mollis restaurant and the Mist Rolling Inn pub.
David Keyte and Stephanie Porritt, brand co-founders at Universal Works, said: “Universal Works was founded in Nottingham and we’ve had a small shop in Rough Trade for six years now. It’s been great to be there and we’ve always enjoyed its quirky feel and sense of community.
"As an expanding, global business we’ve now outgrown the space we currently occupy, so are pleased to be opening the doors to a bigger, standalone store on Derby Road in Nottingham. We aren’t a 'high-street' kind of brand and prefer alternative neighbourhoods and locations with potential and community spirit.
"Like Rough Trade, Derby Road fits the bill for us in that regard, with many of our new neighbours already offering interesting things in the world of food, drink and interiors. The new store will open in January 2023 - no exact date yet, but stay tuned.”
The clothing shop will be in good company as there are many traditional tailoring businesses also on the street including Black Butterfly, which moved there earlier this year.
READ NEXT:
- Hidden underground Nottingham shop opens with a unique theme
- Nottingham Forest notebook: Trio return, special connection, deal signed and a meeting to watch for
- Tributes to 'heart of gold' Nottingham dad who collapsed in street
- Nottingham tram operator looking at specialist equipment to recover cars stranded on tracks
- I tried battered Christmas treats at Nottingham chippy and found it refreshingly festive
