Vegan footwear company Koi, which 'draws its inspiration from grunge, punk, and emo subcultures' has opened its flagship store in the northern shopping centre
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Ethical, vegan and gender-neutral footwear brand KOI has opened its flagship store in the Trafford Centre in Manchester.
Online retailer KOI, which was founded in the northern city, uses 100 per cent vegan leathers and materials in its designs.
The brand says the inspiration behind its designs lies in ‘grunge, punk, and emo subcultures’.
It adds that its USP is ‘limitless creativity, breaking the boundaries of what design can be, while staying true to its ethics and aesthetics’.
The new shop, located on the first floor of the Trafford Centre, opposite Zara, boasts 990 square feet of retail space.
KOI vegan footwear
Commenting on the store launch in a statement, owner and founder Uzair Ahmad said: ‘Pristine marble floors, ceilings that go up to the heavens and iconic brand names were all the things I noticed when I used to walk through The Trafford Centre as a kid.
“To have the opportunity to have KOI alongside them is a dream come true. We’re excited to be offering a store ahead of Christmas where customers can visually see the quality and originality of our product.”
He continued: “Following the recent Zavvi and Lookfantastic pop-ups, this is yet another digitally native store debut for Trafford.
“We are delighted to welcome KOI footwear which will offer something truly unique, and given their huge following and irreverent brand, it will be massively popular with the Trafford consumer.”
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‘First of its kind’
Announcing the opening of the store on its website, the Trafford Centre described it as ‘the first of its kind’, as the brand has ‘made an impact mostly through a digital presence since 2016’.
The statement continued: “This store will provide you with a first-hand experience of Koi – whether this is simply being able to see and try the shoes on in person, immerse yourself in the escapist decor, or interact with members of staff for personalised recommendations.
“Pushing the boundaries of footwear design since 2016, Koi caters for the contemporary, curious and those who aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd.
“With a core range of essentials, as well as far more unique and out-there designs, there’s a Koi shoe for everybody.
“They are the cool, conscious animal-free brand that you’ve been searching for: all products are ethically designed in-house in Manchester and produced using 100 per cent vegan leathers and materials.”
Fancy becoming a plant-based fashionista? You can start by learning everything you should know about vegan shoes
Featured image credit: @koifootwear/Instagram
