Appear Here, the marketplace for short-term retail, is embarking on global expansion and starting with Paris.
Founded in 2013, by the 20 year old CEO Ross Bailey, Appear Here has been on a mission to build a network of the noteworthy retail spaces, so that merchants can make their ideas travel. Over 15,000 brands use its service, including internationally renown names such as Apple and Net-a-Porter, luxury fashion houses including LVMH, as well as independent designers and start-ups. In London alone, Appear Here has launched over 2500 pop-ups.
“Paris has always been one of my favourite cities – there‘s nothing better than simply wandering round its streets and taking it all in,” said Bailey. “But I was surprised to learn how hard it is for young brands and designers to get access to space in the city. We‘ve even had Parisian brands launch ideas with us in London because they couldn‘t in Paris. That‘s when I realised Appear Here could really make a difference.”
Through a brand that launch with Appear Here in London, Bailey was introduced to the Parisian Julian Krief. When Krief heard about the website, he quit his job in real estate private equity to help set up Appear Here in France.
“Everyday I see amazing retail spaces sitting empty in Paris. When you think it‘s one of the top cities for fashion and retail, it doesn‘t make sense. I was impressed by how Appear Here is solving the problem in London. Every week they‘re helping new ideas launch and it would be great to see more of this happening in Paris.”
The company will focus on listing the spaces in the best retail destinations in the city. In London, Appear Here has played a salient role in driving pop-up retail, an industry now valued at £2.3bn. Through partnerships with big landlords including Land Securities and Grosvenor, brands have been given access to over 1500 spaces in key London locations such as Mayfair and Covent Garden.
In Paris, almost 1000 brands and retailers have signed up to Appear Here‘s French website. 90% of the spaces listed are in prime retail locations.
To mark its launch, Appear Here will open a pop-up store for Paris Fashion Week called The Appear Here Collection, selling products from its favourite designers and stores based in London and Paris.
