Leeds

Leeds’ new flagship Zara store is now officially open

Take all my money.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 8th August 2024

After working on the site for over a year, the new three-storey Zara store inside Trinity has officially opened its doors.

And we've got to say, it looks absolutely amazing.

The new 46,000 sq ft space on Briggate is spread across three floors and was previously home to Topshop until 2021.

The new store features Zara’s woman, man, and kids collections and showcases the latest technological innovations from Zara’s integrated online and physical store platform.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Gone are the days of queueing to pay, in this new store you'll be able to check out for yourself making the shopping experience smooth and seamless.

The move is part of an optimisation plan from Zara’s parent group Inditex, which encompasses bigger, better and more beautiful stores in the best retail destinations globally.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Steven Foster, Centre Director at Trinity Leeds, said: “It’s been years in the making but the new Zara store is most definitely worth the wait. A huge amount of work has been going on behind the scenes to get to this point, and we’re sure guests will be impressed with this incredible new addition to Trinity Leeds.

“Zara is a huge name in retail and it speaks volumes that they’ve chosen to snap up a prime spot in such an iconic retail location in the heart of the city centre.”

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Zara follows a number of brands that have recently joined the line-up at Trinity Leeds shopping centre, including Nike: Rise, Jack & Jones, Five Guys and Knoops.

The doors officially opened this morning at 9am, with flocks of exciting shoppers awaiting to make their first purchase.

Read more:

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Leeds

Inside FaceGym – Leeds’ newest facial fitness studio loved by celebrities

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

We hope you're ready for your workout, because FaceGym has landed in Leeds.

You may be wondering...what on earth is Facegym? And to be fair, you've got a point.

FaceGym, as they themselves describe it, a 'non-invasive fitness studio concept for the face' using high-intensity facial massage, hand manipulation, and electrical muscle stimulation technology to tone, lift, and sculpt the face without surgery.

Sounds pretty fancy if you ask us, and it feels just as fancy from the moment you step through the door.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Unsurprisingly, it's loved by celebrities worldwide who are looking to get snatched and ditch their gua sha.

Currently occupying five standalone stores in London, one in Cambridge as well as a pop-up in Space NK in Selfridges Manchester, FaceGym will be opening this Friday 18 September inside the coveted Victoria Gate, taking over a 1,772 square foot studio.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

The space really does look like a gym, ditching the standard beauty salon aesthetic for an American-style gym interior complete with the iconic red FaceGym balls all over the place.

A signature sculpt costs £110 for a 45 minute treatment, so it's definitely a treat if you're looking to have skin that can reflect the sun and cheekbones for days.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Angelo Castello, chief executive at Facegym, said: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Facegym to Leeds and to open in the beautiful Victoria Gate. The city has a thriving beauty, wellness, and retail scene, making it the perfect location for our next studio.

“We’ve seen growing demand from customers across Yorkshire, and we can’t wait to introduce even more people to the benefits of facial fitness.”

You can find out more and book a treatment at FaceGym via their website here.

Read more: Five of the best new restaurants and cafes to open in Leeds recently

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Leeds

Audio North’s Artist of the Month – Kenzo Jae | September 2026

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Kenzo Jae is a creative who wants to put Bradford on the music map through his alternative-rap tracks and now he's Audio North's Artist of the Month.

This multi-tasking mastermind doesn't only record his own music, he's also a digital illustrator and graphic designer - Oh, and he even directs his own music videos (Leave some talent for the rest of us - We're begging).

Embarking on The Sloth Tour with three UK based dates in Manchester, Leeds and London throughout October, where Kenzo Jae will be playing out hits like 'Softly', 'Chicken Bagel', 'End of the World' and more.

This storytelling songwriter now sits down with Audio North to chat all things Artist of the Month and share a little more insight into his music career so far.

Audio North's Artist of the Month - Kenzo Jae | Interview

How much does being from Bradford influence the music you release?

All aspects of my personality have been influenced by Bradford,  and I’m never more myself than when I’m writing. So lyrically Bradford has had a big impact. 

What’s it like being an artist from Bradford? 

At first it felt like something I had to hide. Now it’s something I wear as a badge. There’s not many of us in the grand scheme of things. It’s a niche club and I love that. The underdogs. 

What northern artists are you loving at the minute?

Ellur and Wilfred.

If you could describe your artistry in three words what would they be and why?

Honest - I try not to hide behind anything in my music even when it’s critical of myself. If something has happened to me or I’m feeling something, I’d rather put it into a song exactly as it is. Might take me a few years but once it’s in the song I can get over it 

Colourful - The vision of the world of my music to me feels saturated and bright. the occasional darkness but for the most part. 

Arrogant - I think it takes a level of arrogant to do and say certain things in my music. Even to do the visual aspects too painting myself pink, wearing a sloth hat etc Takes an arrogance to think yeah I can put myself in such a weird position and believe it’s going to work 

You’ve already amassed over 100k streams on SLOTH - How are you feeling about its reception so far?

It’s been great to see that people have really resonated with the story and the arc I have been on. I want to push it further and hope it reaches everyone that needs it 

How fulfilling is it for you to release the SLOTH mixtape, a title you’ve held onto since you were 16?

The most cathartic feeling. Especially when it’s you know you’ve made it exactly the way I intended. It’s also a learning curve for things I will do differently for the next one. 

You posted a reel describing how you spent two weeks animating a music video for yourself- How important is being hands-on in all aspects of your music career?

I’m a control freak. And if something is in my head, it’s a lot easier to do it myself. Don’t get me wrong , I work with a lot of hard working talented people that I can now trust and delegate work to. But on this instant, I love animation and I find the most enjoyment in editing visuals 

Since you have a track titled ‘Chicken Bagel’, where are some of your favourite brunch or general food spots in West Yorkshire?

I grew up on chicken shops and Salah's is the goat. In terms of restaurants, Classic Persian is the best for me. 

You’re not afraid of risk-taking and standing out, even going as far as painting yourself pink for one of your visuals - what advice would you give to any emerging artists who want to be as confident as you?

You have to be willing to embarrass yourself. The stuff that feels slightly uncomfortable, is usually the stuff that people remember.

And confidence doesn’t necessarily mean thinking you’re amazing. Sometimes it’s just being willing to say, “I don’t care if this is weird, I like it.”

It’s also it’s just more fun to feel like your outside of the box

Read more: Innovative Leeds music venue TESTBED announces launch party lineup

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Leeds and West Yorkshire, subscribe to The Hoot Leeds WhatsApp broadcast HERE.

Featured Images - Press Shots (via Supplied)

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