![]() ![]() This versatile space will include a retail offer and a café and design studio, serving as a collaborative haven for creatives and start-ups. My new venture, Daiza Projects, is working on a multiband retail concept – a retail hub that aims to redefine the shopping experience in Edinburgh. The brand envisions a place where the community comes together to shop, connect, discover, and learn. The online launch of Para-Daiza is just the beginning. I see a new frontier of start-ups and independent brands emerging, champions of the independent ethos, You can see it happening here in Edinburgh and Glasgow with the rise of independent re-seller stores, selling their Nike and Supreme hoodies etc. I now see a massive opportunity for growth in the middle market, I think new players will emerge. ![]() "An opportunity for a fresh start and a new sanctuary." I became managing director in 2014 and after JD Sports-owned Tessuti bought Xile in 2016, I got on well with the key stakeholder in the fashion arm at JD and was grateful for the security and time Xile was in the group. Among the obstacles were high business rates, an oversaturated marketplace, brands shifting towards direct-to-consumer models, and increasing customer acquisition costs. However, as we observed the challenges in the UK multi-brand retail arena in early 2010s, it became evident that a transformative change was necessary for Xile. The years at Xile were filled with magic, fostering a close-knit family atmosphere, cherished memories, and lasting friendships. This move marked a significant milestone, establishing four more G-Star stores in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Braehead and Livingston and a Replay boutique in Multrees Walk, Edinburgh. In 2005, Xile embarked on an exciting new venture, opening the first G-Star concept store in Scotland on the prestigious Multrees Walk in Edinburgh. Xile further prospered with the rise of European denim brands like G-Star, Diesel and Replay in the early 2000s. Xile gained fame for featuring prominent brands like Nike, Adidas and Barbour while introducing cool niche brands such as Duffer, Evisu and AllSaints in the mid-1990s, and, even earlier, core denim brands such as Chipie, C17 and Liberto. My journey began as a manager buyer for the well-known Scottish independent store Xile in 1994, where I worked alongside visionary Pat O'Flaherty and witnessed the business's remarkable growth and success in the Scottish fashion scene. Former Xile managing director Paul Mullen tells Drapers about running the Scottish menswear indie under the ownership of JD Sports and Frasers Group, before he was made redundant in April and all three of the stores were closed – and why he is now launching his own premium menswear brand. ![]()
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