William Rast Embraces Retail
William Rast, the Los Angeles–based maker of premium denim and sportswear founded by singer Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala, will make the leap into retail next month. Slated to open on Nov. 1, the brand’s two retail stores will debut at the Westfield Century City shopping mall and the Westfield Valley Fair shopping mall in San Jose, Calif. An outlet store will open on the same day at the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon, Calif.
The impetus behind the label’s foray into retail is branding, said Colin Dyne, William Rast’s chief executive officer. Already retailing in major department stores and more than 500 boutiques, the brand sees retail as a way to strengthen its message. “Having our own retail stores is the only way to fully communicate our message and showcase the brand,” Dyne said. “We have a broad line, and creating our own environment allows us to highlight the culture of the brand.” Retail, he said, will be a key focus for William Rast for the next 24 to 36 months, with the ultimate goal being a stable of up to 50 retail stores. Ultimately, Dyne said, retail could account for as much as 50 percent of the brand’s business.
For its launch, the brand stayed close to home. “We’re an L.A.–based brand, so we think it’s a good place to start,” he said. San Jose is another good territory for the brand, he said. New stores are already in the works, with potential locations in Miami, San Diego, Dallas and Houston. “It’s a moving target. We’re focusing on triple-A markets throughout the country. So much depends on availability and real estate,” Dyne said.
The retail stores will feature William Rast merchandise exclusively, with a focus on the brand’s premium-denim offerings for men and women. Leather pieces, outerwear, silk blouses for women, military-inspired woven shirts and blazers for men round out the stores’ racks. Dyne said he hopes to explore licensing options for other categories to expand the brand’s breadth of offerings.
The stores, which range from 1,800 square feet to 2,000 square feet, were designed by Johnston Marklee, the same architecture firm that designed William Rast’s pop-up stores in London, Paris and New York earlier this year.—Erin Barajas
