At the end of August, the Los Angeles-based brand, which sells apparel, homeware and beauty through its Oak Essentials sub-label, opened its first international outpost, a pop-up at London’s iconic luxury department store Selfridges.
The shop-in-shop, which will run through Nov. 16, focuses on the brand’s apparel assortment, including best-known “hero” items, like its Cocoon Cardigan and Fisherman Sweater; while home and beauty products will not be available. To announce its London arrival, the brand is advertising on branded taxis, influencer collaborations, and will host several in-store activations in October, including personalised embroidery and stationery events.
It’s a preview of what’s to come as the brand begins to embark on its international expansion strategy, which Jenni Kayne president Kate Watters said is a “natural extension after scaling the brand domestically.”
Over the last four years, Jenni Kayne has grown its store count from 13 brick-and-mortar locations to 31 across the US, in cities like Nashville, Chicago, Houston and more. Its store footprint more than doubled in four years, and brick-and-mortar has consistently outperformed expectations.
International expansion has been “top of mind” for years, Watters said; already, they’ve tested expanding in Canada through wholesale. But it was the customer demand in the UK for an in-store experience that made London the obvious next step. Selfridges, according to Watters, was the right setting because of “its highly engaged customer base.”
“Retail has been a consistent growth driver,” Watters said. “It really allows us to put our best foot forward and show the best representation of ourselves in a way that can’t be replicated online.”
Looking ahead, Jenni Kayne plans to gradually scale its international presence. Beginning in April 2026, the brand will launch shipping of its whole product line in Canada with faster delivery times, local currencies, and reduced costs, followed by a broader rollout in Europe later that year.
“We’re being very thoughtful about it,” Watters said. “We want to move slowly, but with scale in mind. 2026 will be a deliberate test-and-learn year in select markets.”
Jenni Kayne has been on a growth spurt in recent years: It benefitted from the post-pandemic interest in minimal, “quiet luxury” clothing, helping the brand hit $140 million in sales last year. Since then, it’s been able to move away from its pandemic-era discounting cycle to instead focus on “healthier growth built on long-term loyalty and full-price engagement,” said Watters.
It’s finding other ways to flex its muscles too: On Friday, it’s hosting its first New York Fashion Week presentation in 14 years at its Soho store, and plans to roll out a redesigned website later this month.
“This is just the start to a larger international presence,” says Watters. “We’re excited to see how the world responds.”