Never Fully Dressed’s store in LA is located at 8406 Melrose Ave next to Mejuri and Indochino.
Never Fully Dressed has captivated fashion enthusiasts worldwide with its commitment to quality, inclusivity, and versatile designs. Founded by Lucy Aylen in 2009 in London, the brand originated from humble beginnings in her parents’ attic. Drawing inspiration from her extensive travels and market trading background, Lucy created a brand that blends creativity with practicality. “I never set out to create a business or a brand,” Lucy recalls. “When we started, everything was an oversized pattern. Everything was one size. I didn’t come from a design background, but I could make an oversized shape and make it work for you; the styling videos are what we’re known for now.”
With an inclusive size range (US 2-24), the brand redefines what it means to create fashion for all. It is also wholly self-funded and has seen immense growth on social media over the past few years, growing from around 300K followers pre-2020 to 1.7 million today, with a lot of that being attributed to styling content. And the stores continue that growth with the ability for customers to get styled in person.
The Latest Addition: Los Angeles Store
Never Fully Dressed opened its Melrose store mid-July 2024.
Although the company originated in the UK and its first store was in its home of Essex, it opened its second store in NYC in 2023. The success of that location led to the more recent opening of an LA store on Melrose. This new store is a testament to the brand’s growing global presence and is infused with the vibrant spirit of its latest collections. The interior design of the LA store is a blend of Lisbon’s timeless charm and Ibiza’s bohemian essence, creating an immersive shopping experience filled with bold patterns, vibrant colors, and intricate details.
“We want customers to feel the inspiration behind the brand or collection. We want people to feel part of our world, so they leave the store having learned something about us,” says Lucy. The LA store is designed to reflect the brand’s eclectic nature, with wallpaper sourced from Majorca shoots and prints narrating the journey and inspiration behind each collection. This thoughtful design approach ensures that every visit to the store is a unique and engaging experience for customers.
The Los Angeles store opening comes on the heels of a successful launch in New York just under a year ago. Like the NYC store, with a partnership with Girls Inc., the brand plans to collaborate with a local charity in the LA area. From the beginning, the brand has been deeply involved in charitable initiatives, supporting causes in the UK like Big Issue, a charity helping people without housing.
The new LA store has a more simplistic design that incorporates wallpaper sourced from brand shoots.
Future Expansion Plans
Never Fully Dressed is not stopping at Los Angeles. The brand has ambitious plans to further its footprint in the US and beyond. “Since the New York store opened, our US online sales have grown by 60%,” Lucy notes. The physical stores are not just retail spaces but community hubs that foster engagement and enhance brand awareness.
Next on the horizon for the company is expansion into the southern states, which have shown a strong affinity for the brand’s colorful and versatile designs. It also expanded its wholesale partnerships with Anthropologie, Dillard’s, Revolve, and Nuuly. Additionally, the brand is exploring opportunities in the Middle East, with an activation in Dubai planned for the end of the year. A store in central London is also in the works, although finding the perfect location has proven challenging. “When you’re from somewhere, you just get really fussy,” Lucy admits, highlighting the meticulous care to choose the right spot.
Lucy Aylen started the brand in 2009 and opened this NYC location in 2023.
The growth of Never Fully Dressed in the US and internationally is part of a broader trend of British brands making their mark in the US market. Brands like Antler, Monica Vinader, and Wolf & Badger have all successfully begun establishing a presence in the country. Much like Never Fully Dressed, these brands bring a distinctly British flair combined with a commitment to quality and innovation that resonates with American consumers. Their successful entry into the US market underscores the appeal and demand for British fashion and lifestyle brands.
Never Fully Dressed’s journey from a London attic to a global brand is a testament to Lucy Aylen’s vision to create a vibrant, inclusive, and versatile fashion brand. The new Los Angeles store marks another milestone in the company’s retail journey, and it’s just the beginning of the brand’s growth in the US market, which has grown 40% since 2020. “We’re in a good place,” stated Aylen, “we’ve laid that structure for our next period of growth. We’re expanding in the US, and the US is really key to us.”
