Aquascutum Active has opened its first flagship store in Italy A major new chapter in the British brand’s journey has begun in Rome

Aquascutum Active has chosen Rome for its first flagship store in Italy. Located at 54/56 Via Cola di Rienzo, in the Prati district, the new store brings a technical, urban wardrobe to the Italian capital, reinterpreting Aquascutum’s historic heritage. Launched in 2023 and developed by the Italian company Icon, which holds the production and distribution licence, the Active project has gradually expanded an offering initially focused on outerwear. The Rome opening is part of this growth, providing a space dedicated to the brand’s identity and new collections.

The new Rome flagship store

Spread over two floors and fronted by two street-facing windows, the Rome flagship store combines wood-effect finishes with brushed steel, modular displays and integrated LED lighting. Aquascutum’s signature Club Check appears on the upholstery of the brushed-steel seating throughout the store, in the classic Vicuna, Navy and Ecru colourways. The same design language extends to the basement and façade, creating continuity between the store’s different spaces.

The new flagship joins the brand’s existing store at Castel Romano Designer Outlet. According to company figures, Aquascutum Active’s distribution network includes 280 points of sale in Italy, out of 450 worldwide.

Among the representatives and guests attending the opening was Geo Bell, the British actor and face of Aquascutum Active’s campaigns. "We want to create a space where our history and contemporary vision can engage with the city and the people who live there", said Damiano Ferretti, founder of Icon. Bell’s presence reinforces the project’s ties to British culture, spanning cinema, fashion and urban style.

Aquascutum: from British heritage to football culture

Founded in London in 1851 by tailor John Emary, Aquascutum built its identity around textile innovation and waterproof clothing, beginning with the trench coat. The Active line carries this tradition forward through technical materials and garments designed for everyday city life. In FW26/27, outerwear remains central, alongside the Club Check, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2026, as the brand marks 175 years of history.

The relationship with football is reflected in collaborations with Ascoli Calcio and Djurgårdens IF, as well as in the Aquascutum Active x Societas capsule, created with the brand founded by Mirko Borsche for FW26/27. Inspired by English terrace culture, the collection reinterprets the trench coat and introduces a new Club Check palette in red, white and navy. At the centre of the collection is a football jersey whose aesthetic references England’s away shirt from the mid-1990s.