Shop for all the latest designer labels in the Swindon Town Centre

This month we feature… The Forum, Flannels, House of Fraser Outlet and John Anthony

The Forum

The Forum in Swindon’s Brunel Centre prides itself on offering niche hard-to-find streetwear brands, combined with excellent customer service, right in the heart of the town centre.

Co-owned by Andy Knight and Dez Mills, The Forum is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, and it has a loyal customer base which is expanding all the time. Its diverse brand mix of premium streetwear from names such as Duffy, Huf, Undefeated, Obey, Wood Wood and Carhartt ensures customers keep coming back for more. There is also heritage sportswear from names such as Fred Perry and Farah, and limited edition sneakers.

“We cater for all ages here, from 18 to 65,” said Andy. “The key to being an independent shop is being independent. The brands we sell are rare, which makes us a destination store. I am so proud of our niche brands and the fact that we are the friendliest store around and know our brands inside out – we always give five-star service.”

The Forum even has its own line of T-shirts, sweaters and hoodies under the brand name Known and they have been sold the length and breadth of the country. Known has collaborated with musicians Plan B and MF Doom, and been worn by recording artists Jessie J and Example.

The Forum is a denim specialist too, with Diesel and Edwin as its core lines.

“They are excellent brands and we make sure our customers get the right fit and wash to suit them, that’s so important with jeans,” Andy added.

The Forum quadrupled the space of its original shop when it moved to its new upstairs premises in the Brunel Centre ten years ago.

The Forum, 31-32 Brunel Plaza, Swindon SN1 1LF. Call 01793 480051. To stay up-to-date with what’s new in store, go to Instagram: theforumstore

Flannels

Flannels is one of the UK’s leading luxury retailers, and Swindon now has its own branch in Regent Street.

Hard-to-find pieces from top designers such as Gucci, Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana, Lacoste and Ralph Lauren make the cool and spacious store the essential destination for all fashionistas.

“We provide customers with the whole Flannels experience,” said store manager, Ayesha Randhawa. “High-end, premium luxury brands are what we are all about, coupled with a personal shopping experience that goes above and beyond the rest.

“It’s amazing to have so many designer brands under one roof - it’s the perfect place to find that stand-out outfit for a summer ball, wedding or christening.”

Since it opened last August, Flannels in Swindon has become a destination store, with people travelling to source key fashion pieces and collections from iconic designers. Ayesha and her team are looking forward to welcoming new customers to the store, the 14th in the prestigious Flannels Group.

The Flannels branches all have their own identity and top brands on offer at Swindon include Stone Island, Marc Jacobs, DSquared2, Hugo Boss, Diesel and Paul & Shark. There’s a large footwear department with ladies’ shoes from brands such as Jimmy Choo and Valentino, and men’s shoes from Giuseppe Zanotti, Gucci, Kenzo and Mallet. Niche brands such as Sophia Webster and Butterflies are sought after, and there’s also a great choice of designer fashions for children and young people in the junior department.

“Our price range goes from around £30 up to about £600,” said Ayesha. “We are reflecting the catwalk trends, these are unique pieces from the current ranges – and if we don’t have a specific item a customer is searching for, we will try to get it for them, it’s all part of the service.”

Flannels, 64-72 Regent Street, Swindon SN1 1JY, call 03437 771526, www.flannels.com

House of Fraser Outlet

As one of the best-known names on the high street, House of Fraser has presented customers with an unrivalled nationwide department store for more than 165 years. House of Fraser in Swindon is an outlet store, so customers can make savings of up to 70 per cent off world-famous brands and labels.

The womenswear department has brands such as Biba, Ellen Tracey, Levi's and Ralph Lauren and the menswear department boasts big brands including Polo Ralph Lauren, Diesel, Barbour and Fred Perry. The fashion accessories department offers a wide range of premium brands from Michael Kors and Calvin Klein to Biba and Guess.

Visit in-store at House of Fraser, the Brunel Shopping Centre, Swindon, where you will find a wide range of designer brands to shop on the high street.

Hof 1: Dress by Label Lab, £79, bag by Therapy, £32, available from House of Fraser

Hof 2: Shirt, £39, by Maison de Nimes, skirt, £69, by Biba, available from House of Fraser

House of Fraser, Brunel Shopping Centre, Swindon SN1 1LD, call 01793 516516, www.houseoffraser.co.uk

John Anthony

Luxury menswear retailer John Anthony was launched in Swindon in 1979. Over the years their business has grown with four additional stores in major cities throughout the south west of England.

Their aim is to provide a relaxed, informal and friendly shopping atmosphere, where the style driven gent can shop over 50 international designer brands, with personal service on hand from highly knowledgeable staff. Their buyers are on constant look out for fresh and exciting brands, adding to their extensive brand portfolio every season.

Darrel, John Anthony Store Manager said: “We work extremely hard to provide a complete selection of products that cater for all tastes. From the conventional suited businessman to an urban look for the street wear customer, from the brand orientated contemporary to the fast fashion consumer, our aim is to have something of interest for everyone. Global super brands like Armani, Paul Smith, Stone Island, Y-3, Versace, Barbour, Hugo Boss, Belstaff and Vivienne Westwood sit alongside the smaller more niche brands, Money, AMI, ETQ and Filling Pieces as well as a wide selection of denim from Nudie Jeans, True Religion, Diesel and Dsquared”.

John Anthony is your one stop shop for designer men’s clothing, footwear and accessories at competitive prices, offering excellent customer service, free UK delivery on orders over £40 and an express delivery service - just a few of the reasons why their customers have stuck with them for over 35 years.

John Anthony, 26-28, The Plaza, The Brunel Shopping Centre, Telephone 01793 523056