A new shop opened its doors in Friars Walk on Friday, the latest of several new stores to open in the centre in recent months.
Independent fashion store Fabrix opened to shoppers at midday, filling the site previously occupied by The Body Shop before it closed down last year.
The store's owner, Dan Ronan, is a former Newport County and Cardiff City player who previously launched the business online in 2020 before looking to open a physical store in his home city.
"Being local, I have always been keen to have a store in the city, and the last few months have been a frenzy of activity, getting the unit prepped ready for launch," said Dan.
He is joined by other local men Liam Webb, Dom White, Ashley Jeffries and Jordan Evans.
"The past year has been a huge challenge for us all and, while you might imagine that designer clothing sales may have dipped due to people not being able to go out, in fact we saw quite the opposite, with our online sales increasing 900% in the first 6 months," said Dan.
"For me, it’s all about helping others, and we’d encourage any up and coming brands to get in touch, as we’d like to help debut new lines through the store, as well as our online shop."
The store will stock designer brands such as Stone Island, Dsquared, Dolce & Gabbana & Givency alongside independent brands including Terrace Cult & Mercier.
It follows the opening of other independent shops earlier this year, such as The Port and Coffee Corner.
The announcement is another step in the right direction for Newport city centre, which had been hit by a number of high profile closures including Debenhams and Jack & Jones in recent months
"We’re delighted to be welcoming such an exciting, new independent store into the centre," said Simon Pullen, centre director at Friars Walk.
"Friars Walk has always had a strong fashion offering, and Fabrix helps to take this to the next level with its designer ranges."
