Retail Week takes a closer look at Typo, the homewares and stationery specialist that has pencilled its debut at Westfield Stratford.

  • Typo, owned by global value fashion retailer Cotton On, started life as a stationery brand, but now stocks products across a range of categories, including homewares, travel accessories, gadgets and gift cards.
  • The retailer is expected to open a 2,000 sq ft store inside London’s Westfield Stratford later this year, and is thought to be eyeing three further store openings in London.
  • The first Typo store opened in Victoria, Australia in 2009, and the fascia launched in America in 2012.
  • It now has more than 145 stores across ten countries, in addition to an ecommerce site that delivers globally.
  • The chain, led by general manager Bianca Ginns, was created to fill a gap in the market for fun and affordable stationery. It is the self-styled ‘rowdy cousin’ of the Cotton On group with its “quirky, vintage, irreverent and unexpected” products and focus on personalisation.
  • Cotton On’s chief executive is Peter Johnson, who joined the group in 2004.
  • Typo’s parent company was founded in Australia by Nigel Austin in 1991. It now operates around 1,300 stores in 17 countries, including the US, South Africa, Germany, France, Greece, Singapore and Hong Kong.
  • It is primarily known for its fast-fashion fascias including Cotton On Body, Factorie, Supré and Free, but has targeted the stationery market in the UK.
  • The group, headquartered in North Geelong in Victoria, employs more than 20,000 people.

Typo store in Bayfair shopping centre New Zealand

Typo in Bayfair shopping centre, New Zealand