The Melbourne-based cycling apparel brand has opened its 11th global LaB location in Soho, bringing its community-led retail concept to London with an interior designed in collaboration with Clare Cousins Architects.
Melbourne-based cycling and lifestyle apparel brand MAAP has opened its first UK store at 29 Great Pulteney Street in Soho, London. Known as MAAP LaB London, the location is the brand’s 11th store globally and extends its Life around Bikes (LaB) retail concept into the UK market.
Situated within one of London’s established creative districts, the store has been developed as both a retail environment and a meeting place for the cycling community. The concept brings together apparel, design and cultural programming, with spaces intended to support community rides, talks and other activities.
The London opening follows the introduction of the first MAAP LaB in Melbourne in 2022 and subsequent locations in cities including Berlin, Sydney and Los Angeles. Across its international estate, the brand has continued to develop a retail format that combines its product offer with opportunities for cyclists to connect beyond the shopfloor.
A Retail Concept Built Around Cycling Culture
MAAP’s LaB stores are designed to accommodate different uses, providing adaptable environments for retail alongside events and community engagement.
The Soho location continues this approach, with the design responding to its surroundings while maintaining a connection to the wider MAAP LaB network.
“Reaching our 11th LaB globally and opening our very first UK store in London is a massive milestone for MAAP. Soho has an incredible legacy of creativity and community, making it the ideal setting for our ‘Life around Bikes’ ethos. We’re excited to create a home for London’s cyclists that connects culture, design, and riding.”
Jarrad Smith, Co-Founder, MAAP
The opening also adds to recent retail activity in Soho, where international apparel brands including Australian label Kookaï and Sheep Inc. have established physical stores with distinct approaches to retail design.
Clare Cousins Architects Develops the London Interior
The new store was designed by MAAP in collaboration with Clare Cousins Architects, with the interior drawing on Soho’s architectural character and materials associated with cycling.
A cobbled stone floor references the surrounding streets while also drawing a connection to the one-day Classics races that form part of cycling’s heritage. Its irregular texture provides a contrast to the more precisely finished materials used throughout the space.
Stainless steel and aluminium, selected for their associations with bicycle engineering, feature prominently within the interior. These surfaces are combined with accents of vivid green, introducing colour against the predominantly metallic material palette.
A curved steel wall brings a further visual element to the store, creating shifting reflections intended to evoke the movement of a cycling peloton.
The design follows MAAP’s wider approach to creating functional, adaptable retail interiors, while introducing details specific to the London location.
Oliver Duff, Director of Architecture at Clare Cousins Architects, added:
“The London LaB furthers the evolution of the LaB design language. Each site is distinct and uniquely shaped by its context, while remaining in conversation with its counterparts globally. Soho’s architectural textures provided a rich palette to blend MAAP’s refined visual identity with the historic character of the neighbourhood.”
Oliver Duff, Director of Architecture, Clare Cousins Architects
MAAP LaB London continues the brand’s international expansion through a retail format that integrates cycling apparel, architectural design and community activity. The Soho store provides a permanent London location for the company’s Life around Bikes concept.
Terry Clark is the Publisher and Content Director of 365 Retail, with more than a decade of experience covering retail design, technology innovations, store openings and the wider retail industry. He also works closely with leading retailers, suppliers, agencies, events and industry awards across the UK.
