22 AUTUMN//WINTER 2017 FOR stationery lovers, students and passing tourists alike, it’s a retail paradise. Airy and light yet stacked high with tempting products, there are enticing displays, opportunities to touch and try out, workshops and demonstrations to sign up to, and even a spacious coffee shop to enjoy. Paperchase’s flagship three-storey store in Tottenham Court Road is conveniently located underneath the brand’s head office and is described by chief executive Timothy Melgund as the “biggest and highest-turnover store,” welcoming more than one million customers each year from around the world. “It’s a big machine,” he admits. What makes a ‘flagship’ store? The term refers to the old naval description of the lead vessel in the fleet and for Paperchase, this means creating a destination store which plays out the brand identity on a vast, impressive scale. It’s also used to strengthen the link between brand and retail delivery – a handy testing ground to try out new products developed at head office and get instant feedback. For boutique brands a flagship has another purpose. The main drive is to establish a strong online presence rather than a chain of shops, so the flagship becomes an effective window display for products and brand aesthetic. International brands like kikki.K and Fabriano are sited at prestigious London addresses to showcase the offer to the UK market. Location is key – nestled between fashion and beauty brands in the heart of Covent Garden, kikki.K’s flagship signals that the stationery is as much a fashion and lifestyle accessory as a practical buy. The brand message spreads by word of mouth, building a cult status. For some High Street chains, the flagship was the store that got the ball rolling. Tinc established its identity through the very first shop in Bath, which is now closed, but set a template for a wider roll out which now numbers 17. Australian import Smiggle opened the first UK store in Westfield White City, a clever move to get the brand talked about and to guarantee initial footfall before a rapid roll out in the provinces. Here, successful brands reveal the philosophy behind their flagship stores...  Stationery addict and editor of the Daily Mail’s Femail Magazine CHARLOTTE KEMP investigates why there’s more to a head store than square footage and extra stock FLAGSHIP STORES kikki.K’s flagship store in Covent Garden