Coach is making a play for the dollars of the British bag loving public with the opening of up to 15 UK stores over the next three years.
The first will open at west London’s Westfield shopping center in the first half of 2011. A flagship store on London’s New Bond Street will join it around June, and there’ll be plenty more where they came from.
This isn’t Coach’s first foray in Great Britain; the American label unsuccessfully launched a store on Sloane Street in the 1990s. However chief executive Lew Frankfort says the brand is now better placed for success, as British consumers are aware of Coach’s presence through their travels abroad.
“We are very serious about our entry into Europe and our goal is to become a significant brand in all the markets where we participate,” he added.
The British stores are part of Coach’s larger strategy to become a major player in Europe. It has an exclusive deal with French department store Printemps, which in time will see Coach stores in most Printemps locations. There is a similar arrangement in Spain with the El Corte Ingles department store chain. It also has Germany and Italy in its sights.
With Kate Spade also opening her first British store, it seems more American handbag designers are looking to opportunities to succeed abroad. Do you think Coach has what it takes?
[Source: Financial Times]
[Image Source: Roxanne Ready/Flickr]
