Esprit moves to New York City with new global creative headquarters

Hong Kong-based fashion label Esprit is returning to North America as it has signed a lease with Hudson Square Properties in New York City for what will become the company's new global creative headquarters. 

The new global creative headquarters signals the brand's return to the US, where Esprit was originally founded in 1968. The move represents the modernisation of Esprit's California-cool roots into a metropolitan brand that is designed, created, and photographed in New York City.

While the creative headquarters are in New York, the operational headquarters remain in Hong Kong, reinforcing the vision for a global brand known for its innovation and collaboration, and a recommitment to the brand's original key pillars – design, quality, and fit.

The lease deal includes over 38,000 square feet spanning two floors at 160 Varick Street, on the border of Greenwich Village and Soho. The new offices at 160 Varick Street will be the company headquarters for the brand's global design, branding, creative, and marketing efforts.

Esprit is looking to appoint a world-class architectural firm for the renovations of this industrial-style space built in 1927, with the aim of creating an open plan office, flooded in natural daylight, to help promote enhanced creativity and collaboration. Once renovations are complete the 11th and 12th floors will house approximately 100 to 120 employees including chief brand officer, Ana Andjelic, and senior vice president of design, Tom Cawson.

On the decision to move the creative headquarters to New York City, Esprit’s CEO, William Pak, said: "Our intention is for the brand to resonate with a global audience. New York City is the cultural epicenter of the world, a diverse city full of incredible talent. From a creative and design perspective the next evolution of Esprit, like New York, will be sleek, aspirational and timeless."

The official Esprit relaunch is set for mid-2023 with a focus on modernising the brand heritage and values for today's consumer in a way that resonates across generations.  The refreshed Esprit embodies an ode to '80s and '90s nostalgia – luxury apparel with an attainable price point.

With a New York City-based global flagship and a Los Angeles flagship set to open this year, customers will be reintroduced to Esprit's signature playful and modern aesthetic, updated for the 21st century. To bring back the brand's retail presence, additional flagships are in the works across the US and Canada in the coming year.

Don't miss: ESPRIT to launch innovation hubs in London and New York

Back in September last year, the brand has decided to launch two new global innovation hubs in London and New York, in addition to its existing hub in Amsterdam. Esprit told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE previously that ESPRIT Futura New York will be the brand’s new global creative and design hub to inspire forward thinking and bring contemporary concepts and talent to its new branding strategy. "This will solidify the ambition to rebrand one of the world’s most iconic companies. ESPRIT Futura New York will take the lead in Esprit’s rebranding venture and marketing efforts," said the spokesperson. 

The establishment of "ESPRIT Futura" is a foundation in turning the iconic brand into an omnichannel technology and data-driven fashion powerhouse. The new hubs aim to create transformative change in culture, mindset, and business process, discover new growth opportunities for ESPRIT. According to the brand, it is to improve innovation performance through a technology-driven approach that focuses on customer experience and embraces circularity. This new structure will also provide opportunities to enable ESPRIT staff to have more flexibility with increased international exposure.

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