“It’s been really transformational for some of our stores. Turnover-based rent has become an increasingly popular way to restructure leases, and while it’s a gamble for landlords, it’s often a lifesaver for retailers. Market conditions impacted by lockdowns and social distancing have also forced a shift in the relationship between landlords and their retail tenants. “At the moment, ecommerce represents around 20% of our sales, so we want to push that up and look at ways of growing.” A lot of people who didn’t buy online before did so during the lockdown,” he says. “There’s been a major shift towards ecommerce. “Obviously it’s counter-seasonal and it’s going through a lot of pain with COVID-19, but we see an opportunity in Australia.” The pain of the COVID-19 pandemic is well known to the fashion industry, but Daniel says it’s also presented an opportunity to take stock of Dune London’s situation. “I think the advantage with Australia is it’s quite similar to the UK market,” Daniel explains. In addition to the Middle East, Dune London has stores in key markets such as India and Malaysia, and recently opened in Australia.
Of late, those opportunities have appeared primarily in countries with hotter climates. “International represents about 25% of our sales, and while it’s clearly been damaged by what’s happening with the coronavirus, we still see opportunities to grow internationally.”
Powered by Daniel’s ambition to become a global brand, Dune London now has more than 350 stores around the world and distributes in 30 countries. So the idea of developing a brand that I owned was a key factor, and having had the manufacturing and importing experience and that grounding in the industry, it enabled me to focus very strongly on the product, which I’ve always been very passionate about.” “As a footwear importer, I was ultimately putting customers’ brands on feet – I had no real control over the shoes. “If you had a brand, you could control that,” he says. Our main focus at the moment is the Middle East because there’s a lot of growth in countries like Saudi Arabia, where there are significant changes. A loyal Oxford Street clientele and a growing desire to build his own brand drove Daniel’s focus further from import wholesale and into the arms of retail. I decided to put my toe in the retail water.”Īlthough it began as a trial, it quickly proved successful. “At the time, I was supplying a lot of retailers that have since disappeared from the high street and I felt there was a niche market for well-designed leather products that wasn’t being catered to. Born into a long line of shoe manufacturers, Daniel brought the brand to life in 1992 after he noticed a gap in the market for well-made leather products. The Dune London story isn’t quite as old as the sands of the Empty Quarter, but it’s just as sprawling. “We’ve got more stores now in the Middle East than we have in the UK.” “Our main international focus at the moment is the Middle East because there’s a lot of growth in countries like Saudi Arabia, where there are significant changes,” says Daniel Rubin, Founder and CEO of affordable luxury footwear and accessories brand Dune London.