Dreams, the UK's number one bed retailer, with branches in Gloucester and Cheltenham, has opened the first instore presence for luxury brand Feather & Black.

The brand, whose products range from hand-stitched mattresses made with natural materials through to luxurious pillows and duvets, and stylist beds and furniture, is featured in the Dreams store at Hedge End near Southampton.

Despite a challenging year for retail more broadly, the opening in Hedge End marks the beginning of a new phase for Feather & Black. Two additional standalone store openings are planned for the brand this year.

The opening cements Feather & Black's position within the wider family of Dreams brands but the new store concept is distinct.

Reflecting the brand's high-end offer, the Hedge End store now dedicates its whole mezzanine to Feather & Black. The space has been designed with luxury in mind, using display cubes and distinctly branded black aluminium fittings throughout to bring the high-quality look and feel of the products to life.

The space showcases some of Feather & Black's most well-known products, such as the opulent Versailles bed and matching weathered oak furniture, in addition to new lines that have never been showcased before.

Additionally, a dedicated design space allows customers to explore a range of samples and finishes for the Feather & Black Made to Order bed collection.

Mike Logue, CEO of Dreams, said: "This is hugely exciting for us and we hope customers feel the same way. More so than with other products, we know that having the ability to touch, try and feel before you buy is really important to people investing in high-end mattresses and furniture."

Suzannah Taggart, Director of Feather & Black, said: "It has been a labour of love to develop this store, and we're delighted to see our customers interact with our products once more. We're very excited to be working on future store locations this year, and we know our customers can't wait to find out where these will be."

Dreams sells 11,500 mattresses, bases and headboards per week to customers nationwide through its network of over 200 stores and online.