SBR to brand development of King’s Road backwater

Small Back Room is branding a section of west London’s King’s Road, as part of a major overhaul of the area in a bid to attract ‘edgy, independent’ boutiques and more shoppers.

Estate owner Sloane Stanley, which holds much of the western end of King’s Road, is demolishing 356-372 King’s Road to make way for a retail complex incorporating boutiques, bars and restaurants. It appointed SBR last month, following a recommendation by its retail consultant, previous SBR client Churston Heard.

SBR client services director Tim Lewis reports that, ‘Consumers are beginning to look for smaller, independent retailers, and our branding will reflect this, reviving the street’s [reputation] for fashion and cutting-edge design. If Kate Moss were to open her own boutique, it would be here.’

The branding will appear within the shopping environment, and possibly in the names of buildings. It will also feature on hoardings, in a consumer campaign and in a corporate campaign to find ‘alternative’ retailers.

Sadie Frost’s fashion venture FrostFrench is rumoured to be one of the first new tenants for the initiative.

King’s Road became popular as a fashion destination in the 1960s after Mary Quant opened her first shop there in 1955, but the eastern end is now largely populated by high street chain stores.

Sloane Stanley estate manager Richard Everett says, ‘The western end is still alive with the small, individual, distinctive retailers that are so redolent of the King’s Road. We want to retain and develop this character.’

The new branding is scheduled to launch in August.