The words "luxury" and "east end of London" are seldom seen in the same sentence – after all, it is an area synonymous with all things new and on-trend and better known for its independent coffee shops, cool pop-ups and cutting-edge street art.
However, the launch this summer of a fashion-outlet hub to rival the designer outlet village Bicester has seen the neighbourhood take a new and surprising direction.
Hackney Walk is a joint venture between the Manhattan Loft Corporation (confusingly, a British rather than US company) and architect David Adjaye. They have transformed a series of disused railway arches between Homerton and Hackney Central stations, drawing on £2m in funding from the Mayor of London’s post-riot regeneration pot and a further £3.3m from Network Rail.
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Nike, Bally and Matches were among the first big names to open their doors at the development, where they join the likes of Aquascutum, Pringle of Scotland and Burberry on nearby Chatham Place. Hackney Walk is also home to the Legs restaurant and wine bar – the latest venture from chef Magnus Reid – and is set to welcome a new dining-and-drinking venue from Broadway Market general manager Alistair Maddox.
Luxury retail may not be the most obvious new string to add to E9's bow, especially given long-term residents' fight against gentrification. But the development has been sensitively undertaken so as to reflect the long-established values of the East End.
"Hackney has a population that's already in tune with fashion and creative thought," says Harry Handelsman, the chief executive of the Manhattan Loft Corporation, which was responsible for the refurbishment of A-list favourite Chiltern Firehouse and the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
Designer brands may be the lynchpin, but the interpretation of "luxury" here is a far cry from the often-exclusive world of high fashion.
Hackney Walk celebrates East London's community spirit and manufacturing heritage and aims to nurture a new generation of talent. Its events calendar includes free workshops at the Stitch Academy from the likes of jewellery-maker Holly Fulton (Saturday 20 August, 1.30-3.30pm) and stylist Louby McLoughlin (Sunday 21 August, 1.30-3.30pm), at which ten walk-up tickets will be available on each day. Meanwhile, at the Hackney Shop, a different local designer will "pop up" each week to sell their wares at discounted prices.
At the development's official opening, local mayor Jules Pipe said it "would build on the borough's proud tradition as the home of creativity and cutting-edge design", while Jack Basrawy, its founder and executive chairman, said Hackney was returning to its "rag-trade roots".
He likened the new fashion district to the golden age of Hatton Garden, with manufacturers and retailers working side-by-side. "In the 1950s, this was the centre of garment-making in London," he said. "Hackney Walk is the 21st-century version."
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