Of all the brands out in the marketplace, some of the most interesting may be those that have existed under the umbrella of a larger name, but are now seeking to make their own mark. A prime example of this is the clothing and home goods brand George.
Until now, George has been tied to Asda. Launched as a fashion label in 1989, it has established its own section within the larger retailer’s stores, adding clothing to the supermarket giant’s portfolio.
Things are changing, however, as the first stand-alone George store has opened. Retail Gazette has just published images of the outlet, which is located in the former Asda Living premises at the Crown Point Retail Park in Leeds.
If ever there was a place where good retail maintenance mattered, it is this store, for it is a pioneering effort that George is deploying as a pilot to see if these standalone sites can attract customers in the same way their existing outlets embedded in Asda stores do.
Maintaining an attractive look could be crucial in making this store a success and prompting further ventures.
This certainly appears to be the intention, with Asda declaring that the aim of the new store is “to deliver a fresh, fashion-forward shopping experience focused on the George clothing, home and general merchandise ranges, all in a standalone, modern retail space”.
What this also does is provide extra space and opportunity for Asda to expand its George range of products, with more clothes, homeware, toys and merchandise. George has long ceased to be just a fashion brand.
Asda’s ventures with George have not been the only case of a retailer seeking to develop a brand within a brand through standalone stores. Marks & Spencer has done this successfully with M&S Simply Food,In a YouGov survey conducted in the first quarter of 2025, M&S Simply Food was the 15th most popular brand in the UK and the third highest-ranked retailer behind Sainsbury’s and Boots.