Peak Performance opens debut UK store in Covent Garden & one-of-a-kind ski rail jam pop-up
Shaftesbury Capital has announced that Peak Performance, the renowned Scandinavian outdoor brand, has opened its debut UK store in Covent Garden. Located at 49 Long Acre, the opening of the international brand’s first-ever UK store exemplifies Covent Garden’s reputation as the nation’s de facto performance-wear hub, further reinforced by the one-of-a-kind activation hosted by the brand in honour of the store’s launch.
Renowned for its bold design and technical innovation, Peak Performance has opened a 1,700 sq ft store in the heart of Covent Garden, delivering its premium ski and outdoor wear to the UK in a standalone space for the very first time. Complete with an in-store secondhand trade-in system, care and repair services, and professional washing, visitors are now able to browse a curated selection of the brand’s collections in a physical space, including its iconic Helium down series, the top-of-the-line Vertical GORE-TEX Pro ski range and ISPO-award-winning technical items. In line with the brand’s heritage, the store has been fitted out in a Scandinavian-inspired, minimalist style that spotlights the brand’s bold and progressive product aesthetic.
To celebrate the launch, Peak Performance hosted a one-day pop-up, transforming the historic Covent Garden Piazza into the home of a ski rail jam. The event featured impressive demonstrations from some of the world’s top skiers, including Peak Performance athletes Alex Hackel from the USA and Theo Thoren from Sweden. The event paid homage to 1995’s Covent Garden Big Air event; a ski competition that took place in the shadow of the Piazza that is widely regarded as the arrival of freeride snowsports into the UK, underscoring Covent Garden’s longstanding position as the country’s epicentre of performance-wear culture. The public was invited to sign up for free ‘Give It a Go With A Pro’ tuition sessions with the UK Jibworx team, and a full bar stocking refreshments was also available onsite.
Peak Performance joins Covent Garden’s extensive portfolio of specialist and performance-wear brands, including Arc’teryx, Carhartt, Finisterre, HOKA, Lululemon, Peloton, Route One, Vivo Barefoot, and the recently opened flagship store from global Swedish footwear brand, Axel Arigato.
William Oliver, Retail Leasing Director, Shaftesbury Capital, commented: “Peak Performance is the kind of bold, progressive and specialist brand that makes Covent Garden the unrivalled retail destination it is today, so we’re delighted to have welcomed its debut UK store to Long Acre. The neighbourhood is not only home to a host of top brands and national debuts but is also committed to supporting showstopping activations. This dedication is perfectly evidenced by the one-of-a-kind Piazza pop-up put on by Peak Performance against the backdrop of our iconic Market Building.”
Sara Molnar, CEO at Peak Performance, added: “Our mission is to bring the freeride spirit to the world, and the overwhelming success of our store launch and ski rail jam event shows how deeply the UK’s ski and outdoor community shares this passion. Transforming the Piazza into the home of a ski rail jam was a bold move, and we’re thrilled with the outcome. It was really the perfect way to celebrate the launch of our first UK store, and we couldn’t be more excited to build on this momentum.”
The launch of Peak Performance’s Long Acre store follows the recent opening of NN.07, the sustainable menswear brand, which opened its debut UK standalone store on Earlham Street earlier this month, as well as recent signings of eco-conscious suitwear retailer, Batch London, travel-inspired apparel brand, Gandy’s International and pioneering Swiss watchmaker, Longines. The luxury timekeeping brand will open a new boutique on Covent Garden’s James Street later this year, adding to the destination’s line-up of premium watch and fine jewellery retailers.