Women’s activewear label Tala has announced it will open its first shop outside the capital this November, launching at Westfield St James Quarter, Edinburgh. The move will bring the retailer’s in‑person estate to three locations across the UK, joining its sites on Carnaby Street and at Westfield White City in London.
Retail expansion beyond London
The company said the Edinburgh opening marks the “next stage of growth” as it moves into regional retail after testing its retail model in London. The new store will stock Tala’s full product range including activewear and lifestyle pieces, with prices spanning from £10 for socks to £119 for a windbreaker jacket.
In a statement provided to press, Tala’s chief executive, Sally Hughes‑Daniels — who became CEO in July — said the brand had proven its approach with its London sites and was ready to widen its footprint. The company described Edinburgh as a natural fit because of the city’s strong outdoor and active culture and an existing Tala community there.
“The success of our Carnaby and Westfield White City stores has proven our retail model and it’s now time to build on this success. Expanding beyond London has long been in the works, but for our first step outside the capital it was so important that we found a location that felt a natural fit for Tala, and Edinburgh ticks every box,”
What shoppers can expect
The St James Quarter store will offer the brand’s core ranges: performance pieces for exercise, everyday activewear and lifestyle garments designed for casual wear. Tala launched initially as an online-first business and has been gradually translating its direct‑to‑consumer presence into physical retail, a path mirrored by many digital-born fashion labels seeking to deepen customer engagement through bricks-and-mortar locations.
- Opening month: November (exact date yet to be confirmed)
- Location: Westfield St James Quarter, Edinburgh
- Current UK store count after opening: three (two in London, one in Edinburgh)
Commercial context and local impact
Physical stores are now frequently positioned by brands as community hubs rather than pure sales outlets. Tala’s leadership has highlighted the desire to meet its customers in person and to make the brand accessible to women outside London. The new shop could increase footfall in the St James Quarter and further integrate a digitally native brand into Edinburgh’s retail mix.
While Tala did not disclose staff numbers or specific investment figures for the new site, openings of this kind typically create roles in store operations, visual merchandising and local management. For a city with a strong outdoor and leisure culture, the arrival of a UK retailer specialising in accessible activewear is likely to be welcomed by shoppers seeking mid‑priced performance clothing.
Where Tala sits in the market
Tala operates in the competitive athleisure sector, which blends sportswear and casual fashion and has attracted intense interest from established high street names as well as start‑ups. Tala’s price points and product mix place it in the accessible segment of the market: items such as socks and basic tops start at low price points, while technical outer layers reach the higher end of its range.
Moving into permanent stores beyond London allows Tala to test its products in a new demographic and could inform future regional roll‑outs. The company said bringing Tala to women around the UK is “one of our key goals” and that Edinburgh would mark the start of that real‑life journey.
Practical information for shoppers
At present the retailer has confirmed the month of opening but not the precise launch date or trading hours. Customers interested in updates should monitor Tala’s official channels and the St James Quarter announcements for booking or launch event details.
As the business transitions from online to more physical points of sale, shoppers can expect to find the full online assortment replicated in store, providing an opportunity to try items in person and to access sizing and fit advice that can be harder to obtain online.
The arrival of the new store will be watched by industry observers as an indicator of how digitally native fashion brands can scale regionally while retaining the community ties and sustainability messages that often underpin their marketing.
