Premium Retail Brands’ Shift Towards Outlet Centres Drives 25% GLA Expansion at ‘Swiss Alpine Gateway’ Landquart Fashion Outlet
LANDQUART, Switzerland, 17 September: VIA Outlets has initiated a development project to expand the sales area of its Landquart Fashion Outlet in the Greater Zurich Region by around a quarter, as premium retail brands follow European consumers and shift their focus from full-price retail on the high street to the outlet centre format in search of greater value and volumes.
A cornerstone event was held at Landquart Fashion Outlet on Tuesday to mark the start of the expansion of the outlet, which lies to the southeast of Zurich close to the border with Austria and Liechtenstein and is at the gateway to premier Swiss alpine ski resorts in the region such as St. Moritz, Davos and Klosters.
Johan Bergenthal, COO of VIA Outlets, said at the event: “VIA Outlets’ substantial investment in the expansion of Landquart Fashion Outlet reflects our successful repositioning of the centre over the past ten years, which has seen it attract many new premium brands and drive strong growth in sales and footfall. Landquart Fashion Outlets’ success is further evidence of the broader trend in pan-European retail markets, with premium brands increasingly drawn to the fashion outlet centre format.”
The gross lettable area (GLA) of Landquart Fashion Outlet is to be expanded by nearly 5,000 sqm, to total close to 27,000 sqm, by the first quarter of 2026 with the creation of 14 new units and a new multi-storey car park extending the total parking area to 1,550 spaces. VIA Outlets’ investment in the centre will further boost its offering to 97 stores and over 150 renowned fashion and lifestyle brands. Around 200 new jobs will also be created through the extension.
Since VIA Outlets acquired the centre in 2014, brand sales have more than doubled, occupancy has increased by 27% up to a fully leased centre and average spend per visitor has risen by 19%. The arrival of around 42 new premium brands over the holding period has also driven a strong 76% jump in footfall, with annual visitor numbers expected to reach the two million mark next year. Landquart Fashion Outlet is a big draw for domestic and international tourists visiting the Graubünden canton, which is the third most visited region in Switzerland with 5.4 million overnight stays in 2023.
The development project is targeting a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability certification upon completion and features solar panels on the roof and a geothermal system for heating. There is an underground water tank to collect rainwater, and a façade made largely from local and recyclable materials.
The Landquart Fashion Outlet extension is being constructed by Swiss firm Zindel + Co. AG based in Maienfeld. The architects are international retail specialist Holder Mathias in London with the support of local design teams.