On August 27, 2025, five years after the closure of Alan Green Orchid to become the Michael Kors flagship store situated in Glasgow’s iconic Buchanan Street, the store is yet to be reopened, and a gap can be seen in luxurious retail stores within the city.
The abrupt closure of this upper-crust fashion store, an institution since 2015, has raised questions and worry amongst shoppers and business professionals in this community. As no plans to reopen have been announced, the closure highlights the broader issues facing the city centre in general and the Style Mile in particular, as the city grapples with changing retail trends.
Abrupt Closure Shocks Glasgow Shoppers
The Michael Kors retail store on Buchanan Street, which specialised in designer handbags, watches, and trendy clothes, closed at the end of April 2025. The stores vanished overnight; the signage was removed, windows were blacked out, and the location was taken off the UK map of stores for the brand, confirming that they were being shut down permanently.
Those walking past the building today, August 27, 2025, will see no evidence of a resurrection, and nothing has been displayed in the shopfront. This hasty removal of the locals alarmed the inhabitants of the township as well as the adjacent territory, as vividly described in the local newspaper of the region, as cited below in my own words in “sweet words of its own sweet style” It was a luxury gift shop: a place to go to easily, recalled Glasgow resident Emma Thompson.
We are now low on luxury offerings.” The establishment was one of the two Michael Kors shops in Scotland, and therefore its closure was a significant blow to the country’s fashion-loving people.
Why is the Michael Kors Store Closed in Glasgow?
Michael Kors, a giant corporation owned by Capri Holdings, has been undergoing a structural transformation of its global retail space. In April, a company spokesperson said, “We are continually innovating in an effort to improve the customer experience.
This involves streamlining our portfolio of stores to focus on higher-performing locations and expanding our digital presence. This announcement aligns with previous plans to shut down as many as 125 stores globally, focusing more on e-commerce and adapting to the new post-pandemic shopping style.
Although the decision to close the Glasgow store was not explicitly revealed, other factors contributing to the industry’s downfall were identified, including increasing operational costs, difficulty in leasing, and the online shopping boom.
The brand’s strong online presence is also evident in its fall 2025 advertisement campaign, featuring celebrity ambassadors such as Suki Waterhouse. This indicates that the company may be shifting towards an online sales channel, rather than relying on retail shops.
The Continued Retail Problems of Buchanan Street
Buchanan Street in Glasgow, known as the Style Mile, has suffered a series of high-profile closures in the past few years: Timberland, Ted Baker and Massimo Dutti. The departure of Michael Kors compounds fears that the centre lacks foot traffic and is struggling economically, one of the UK’s largest shopping centres, second in size only to the London West End.
Glasgow City Council has been facing the issue of vacant premises, including maintenance problems and the proliferation of vermin during warm weather. Despite these losses, the city is looking forward to the renewal of the area by pursuing new retailers as well as enhancing public spaces. Nevertheless, no agreement has yet been reached to fill the shoes of Michael Kors in this centrally located location.
What lies in store for Michael Kors in Scotland?
As of August 27, 2025, Michael Kors has only one store in Scotland, located in Multrees Walk, Edinburgh. It operates six days a week, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Customers who want to enjoy the trademark luxury of the Michael Kors brand now have to go to Edinburgh or prefer to shop online, where Michael Kors remains successful, due to new collections and sales.
Michael Kors UK is not listed in the store locator on the official site; recent checks confirm this, and third-party sites, such as Yelp, indicate that this store is closed. Following a London reopening last year, the brand has no intention of returning to Glasgow and instead appears to be focusing on its digital strategy, as well as opening physical stores in key markets worldwide.
Fashion Future of Glasgow
The departure of Michael Kors is a setback to Glasgow’s image as a fashion city, where others, such as Christopher Kane, work. However, the retail environment of the city is not yet derailed, and there is a prospect of independent shops and start-up brands to occupy the vacuum.
Buchanan Street is a place which has experienced this transition, as a community of locals is hopeful that investments will reinstate it as a shopping area. With Michael Kors, the episode in Glasgow is now terminated, but the history of fashion in Glasgow is not yet at an end.