Tint shops are popping up all over Britain, but none of them have quite the same cachet as Nordstrom.
The company, which is based in Denmark, has become one of the UK’s most recognisable brands, with stores across the country boasting shelves stocked with a wide range of clothes and accessories, from designer clothes to designer shoes and designer bags.
Tint shop founder and chief executive Jørgen Gjørling told the BBC the company’s goal was to open 100 stores in the UK by 2019, and he expects to sell $1 billion worth of clothing in the process.
He said it had already invested $150 million in a new London store, and the new one will be bigger than the previous one, adding that there was also an ambitious plan for a new UK store in Manchester.
“We’ve got a plan to open up 100 stores by 2019 and that’s why we’re looking at doing it in the US,” Mr Gjorn said.
Mr Gjorgling said he hoped to be able to open more than 100 stores before the end of the year, and that he would be opening one new store every three weeks, as the company continues to grow.
Although he declined to say how much he had invested in the new London shop, he said it was “one of the big things” on his list of priorities.
Tinder for the man behind the storeTint Shop has already sold more than 60 million items in the past decade, and Mr Gorgling has previously said the company was in the middle of a massive expansion.
His company’s online sales have grown by almost 200 per cent in the last decade, with sales increasing by more than 400 per cent each year.
Tint shops also sell clothing in sizes from women’s to men’s, and there are many accessories, such as necklaces and handbags.
The company is aiming to open 50 stores across Europe by 2019.
It is still unclear whether the new Tint shop will be a part of the Nordstrom chain, which operates in the same fashion, and is owned by Swedish luxury retailer JWT.
Nordstrom also announced plans to open an online store in the United States, but it is unclear whether that will be part of a similar partnership with Tint.
But if Tint were to open its own store in Britain, it would be a significant step forward for the company, according to Mr Gørlings.
“[The Tint] store will be the biggest Nordstrom to open in the world,” he said.
“It will be one of many stores like it, and we’ll probably open one in every city, but we are aiming to have more than 300 stores by the end, and I think it will be really big.”
What is a Tint?
Tint stands for “tinting”, a process where colours are used to create an illusion of depth and realism.
According to the company website, Tint can be applied to a range of products, including clothing, jewellery and even cars.
Its popularity has led to it being used to produce T-shirts, necklifts, handbags, shoes, bathrobes and even a toothbrush.
Tiffany White, a senior editor at Styleforum, said the concept was hugely popular and there were many more retailers selling Tint than the average store.
“Tint is a concept that’s very well received and the range of Tint stores is growing by the day,” she said.
“The number of T-shirt stores is also growing, and you can find Tint on the shelves of some big retailers.”
“It’s such a unique concept and you have to be very aware of where you’re going to put it.”
Tint’s store at the Tate Modern in London is the latest in a string of Tissers being unveiled around the UK.
A Tint-themed T-Shirt at a Tisser shop in London (Supplied: Tiss)What is Tint really about?
The concept is not new, however.
In 2009, Tissher launched Tint’s flagship store in London, which became a symbol of its brand, and a series of other stores across England and Scotland also showcased Tint products.
More recently, Tins were featured in the first season of the hit show, MasterChef, with contestants wearing Tint tops.
Earlier this year, the company unveiled its first Tint collection, which featured items such as earrings, sunglasses, scarves and earrings.
There are more than 10,000 Tint retailers worldwide.
