Work has been completed at the new £4 million menswear department at Selfridges on the back of rising spending from image-conscious men.
The new department covers level two at the landmark store and sees a host of new brands come to the city as well as a dedicated denim studio.
The work is part of a £20 million redevelopment at the store ahead of a major year for Birmingham retail in 2015 when work on Grand Central and The Mailbox are set to complete.
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Ruben Richards, menswear sales manager at Selfridges Birmingham, said he expected the department to enjoy a 20 per cent rise in sales this year on the back of the investment.
The department enjoyed a five per cent rise last year and new predictions by the British Fashion Council indicate that the menswear market will grow by 27 per cent in the next four years to reach £16.4 billion.
Mr Richards said: “Our department has always performed well, but we knew that if we could make the shopping experience more coherent it would help to drive traffic and boost sales considerably. Bringing menswear onto one floor helps us create a real destination for our shoppers, with a broad, enviable brand list, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the Midlands.”
Menswear currently accounts for a fifth of the store’s overall sales but is expected to grow with the new 25,000 sq ft department.
The shop will stock more than 100 menswear labels, 15 of which are exclusive in the city, including the likes of Hood By Air, Bathing Ape, Off-White and Pigalle.
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High-end designers have also set their sights on the city store’s new department, with British brand Burberry opening its first ever in-store boutique. Labels including DSquared, Paul Smith, Michael Kors and Giuseppe Zanotti have also invested in fitouts within menswear.
Menswear was previously spread across various levels in the store but is changing as part of an overhaul at Selfridges which will create about 70 jobs over two years.
The work also includes a new womenswear floor and a bigger beauty area including a specialist workshop.
The scheme also includes installation of window dresses, similar to those which have become a draw for tourists in London, and will see every floor receive a complete overhaul by 2017.
It is a crux time for the retailer in the city as the year ahead will see the New Street Grand Central scheme open – including the giant new John Lewis store – as well as a £50 million upgrade to The Mailbox completed.
Vicki Cain, general manager at Selfridges, said the move was a reaction to growin demand.
She said: “It’s an area in retail that has been identified as having huge potential, so we’re capitalising on this by shaking up menswear to make it bigger and better than ever before. Birmingham is young, but very fashion-savvy and our new department celebrates this, with a mix of products and labels that are completely unique to this Selfridges store.”