A British clothing label beloved by shoppers at Net-a-Porter and Nordstrom is setting up shop in The Woodlands. Varley, the London-founded leisurewear brand known for knitwear, outerwear and everyday staples, is building a 2,300-square-foot store at 9595 Six Pines Drive, Suite 830, inside Market Street — marking the company's first retail location anywhere in the Greater Houston region.
According to Community Impact, construction on the space is expected to begin in November, with work slated to wrap up in May. The outlet reports that Varley offers everyday clothing for women, including breathable knitwear, sweaters, sweatpants, dresses and accessories. An exact public opening date has not been confirmed.
The Market Street location will be just the second Varley storefront in Texas, joining an existing spot in Dallas, according to What Now Houston. That Dallas store, which opened at NorthPark Center, was Varley's fifth retail location overall and its third in the United States, per PaperCity Magazine, which also noted the 3,000-square-foot shop's arrival as part of the brand's broader U.S. push.
From an Instagram Side Hustle to a Global Label
Varley's roots go back further than its glossy storefronts suggest. The brand was founded by Ben Mead and Lara Mead in 2014, according to WWD, which reports that Varley is based in London with offices in New York and Los Angeles. Today the company describes itself on its own site as a contemporary lifestyle brand for the modern woman whose collections are designed for how women live and move, per What Now Houston's account.
Despite its performance fabrics, Varley does not consider itself an activewear label. The brand sits in a unique space and considers itself contemporary leisure, not activewear, Mead told the trade publication. That shift tracks with what Drapers has documented: Varley began as an activewear brand, but contemporary daywear later became the majority of its assortment, according to Drapers.
The brand now sells through major retailers including Net-a-Porter, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Revolve, the same WWD report notes, with apparel priced between $60 and $600 and accessories ranging from $25 to $180. Those wholesale ties have paid off: wholesale sales climbed 160 percent last year while e-commerce rose 122 percent, per the outlet's reporting.
Rapid Growth Fuels a Store-Opening Streak
Varley's financials help explain why it keeps signing new leases. The company generated $83 million in revenue and $14 million in EBITA for the year ended in July, and it was projecting revenue of $140 million to $150 million with EBITA between $30 million to $35 million the following year, according to the same WWD account. The U.S. market alone accounted for 77 percent of Varley's revenue, with the United Kingdom making up 16 percent, Drapers reported, adding that the brand's U.S. website traffic was up 141 percent year over year.
That momentum has translated into an aggressive store rollout well beyond The Woodlands. WWD reported that Varley had plans for stores on Madison Avenue and 86th Street in New York, NorthPark Center in Dallas, Newbury Street in Boston and Oakbrook Center in Chicago, with additional locations at Brentwood Country Mart and Marin County Mart in California also slated to open in 2026.
Joining an Upscale Shopping Corridor
The Market Street location puts Varley alongside some of the most recognizable names in retail. The outdoor shopping district features more than 90 luxury boutiques and restaurants, according to Visit The Woodlands, which lists Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., Tommy Bahama and lululemon among the center's current tenants.
What Now Houston reported it reached out to Garielle Olson, described as Varley's head of operations, as well as Nicole Odenwald regarding further regional expansion plans, but neither had responded before that outlet's publication. For now, Houston-area shoppers eager to get their hands on Varley's knitwear and outerwear will need to wait for construction to wrap before the Market Street doors open.
