Fashion store reveals New Look plans

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Looking good: The UK high street chain will open 40 stores across the region over the next five years.

UK high street fashion retailer New Look has announced huge expansion plans, with the opening of 40 stores across the Middle East within the next five years.

The low-to-mid-priced clothing chain opened a trial store in Dubai’s City Centre mall in September last year, taking an average of US$200,000 a week in sales. It has been so successful that it has signed a Middle East regional franchise agreement with retail giant Landmark Group. The agreement will involve the opening of 40 stores over the next five years with stores located throughout the region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and Jordan.

New Look hired accountancy firm Ernst & Young to help lay down the international expansion strategy after the successful trial of the fashion chain’s first franchise store in Dubai.

The company said that the size and shop fit of the new stores would reflect the latest store roll out in UK, and typically be between 15,000 and 20,000 sq ft in space. The first two stores to open will be in Kuwait in April and then in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September. Carl McPhail, managing director of marketing, operations of New Look, said: “We believe that there is strong demand across the Middle East for New Look’s exciting and fashionable offerings at great value, and believe that such demand will support the roll out of 40 stores over the next five years.”

Six more New Look stores are planned this year in France and Belgium, including flagships in Paris and Brussels.

New Look and its private equity backers, Apax Partners and Permira, are expected to decide in March whether to go ahead with a potential flotation of the fashion firm this year. It has 568 stores in the UK and the Republic of Ireland with a 4.3% market share, and 232 stores in France trading under the name Mim. In addition, New Look has eight branded stores in France and Belgium.

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Franchise in Lebanon
Posted by Ali, beirut, Lebanon on Monday 26 February 2007 at 16:23 UAE time


I was wondering if there is a chance to sub franchise or to have it in Lebanon under a new company that will be able to open this concept.

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