Velvet in Hove to double in size with opening of dedicated menswear department

Hove-based womenswear independent Velvet is marking its 25th anniversary with a major new chapter – the launch of a dedicated menswear department. The expansion, which will see the award-winning 2,800sq ft store double in size with a brand-new basement floor, opens to shoppers on Thursday 1 May – with a full-scale launch event planned for June.

The ambitious project has been in the pipeline for over five years, says Velvet co-owner Emma Draper, who started the business with mum Iris Draper in 2000. “Having this happen in the same year as our 25th anniversary is a dream come true,” she says. “My vision of creating a mini department store in the heart of Hove is becoming reality.”

The renovation has been a huge undertaking, involving the removal of almost 100 tonnes of hardcore from underneath Velvet’s ground floor retail space as well as the addition of 3.5 tonnes of steelwork to reinforce the structure. “Beneath our store was a maze of small rooms and corridors, so the progress we’ve made is unbelievable,” says Emma. “It’s been quite the journey — logistically and emotionally — but seeing it come together has been beyond exciting.”

Velvet’s new menswear edit will feature affordable and contemporary brands from Bestseller, including Selected Homme, Jack & Jones, and Only & Sons. The expansion will also allow the store to increase its womenswear collections, adding more lines from its most popular labels such as Vila, Vero Moda, Pieces, Only, JDY and JJXX.

The boutique, which was named Fashion Independent of the Year at the Boutique Star Awards 2024, will celebrate its new look with a special VIP launch party in June, inviting customers, suppliers and everyone involved in the build.

Velvet first opened in Brighton as a fashionable alternative to the area’s popular hippy shops. In 2008, it moved to larger premises on Hove’s bustling Church Road, where it trades from today. The bricks-and-mortar-only business is run by a team of 16 women, with Emma as CEO working alongside managing director Gemma Vaughan.