Tag: The Kooples

  • French fashion brand The Kooples to launch in Hong Kong

    French fashion brand The Kooples to launch in Hong Kong

    The Kooples, a popular accessible-luxury fashion brand from Paris for men and women,  to launch in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China, with exclusive partnership with Swire Resources.

    Founded by brothers Alexandre, Laurent and Raphaël Elicha in 2008, The Kooples is an international brand with more than 400 stores in 36 countries.

    French accessible luxury brand The Kooples to launch in Hong Kong cover

    Perfecting French street-chic styling by combining precision cuts, attention to details and precious fabrics — and famed for its unique concept of a gender-fluid aesthetic so guys and gals can borrow each other’s style — the Parisian label is inspired by love, couples, rock’n’roll spirit and tailoring know-how.

    The first Kooples’ flagship store under Swire will open in mid-November 2017 at Pacific Place, one of Hong Kong’s most iconic shopping malls.

    As the exclusive regional distributor for the brand, Swire Resources is instrumental to The Kooples’ global expansion strategy, particularly in gaining a foothold in the fast-growing Greater China market, where consumers have an increasing appetite for international accessible-luxury and affordable-lifestyle brands.

    “We are excited to welcome The Kooples into the Swire Resources’ diverse portfolio of brands,” says Richard Sell, Director of Trading and Industrial at Swire Pacific, the parent company of Swire Resources.

    “We see huge potential for this self-styled, spirited, exciting brand on the back of the impressive growth it’s achieved in the accessible-luxury segment since its inception in Paris less than a decade ago. With Swire’s experience and expertise in brand building, retail and distribution of consumer brands, we are confident in strongly contributing to The Kooples’ success in Hong Kong, Macau and Mainland China,” he added.

    “After expanding in the US, the Middle East and Korea, we are thrilled to open our first flagship store in Hong Kong with new partner Swire Resources” says Emmanuel Stern, CEO and Co-founder of The Kooples. “The Kooples is a family affair and we are excited to welcome Swire Resources as the newest addition to the family.”

    Adds Laetitia Mergui, CEO Asia of The Kooples: “The Kooples’s Greater China launch has been long awaited. We cannot wait to meet our first customers in Hong Kong in November 2017 and in Mainland China in 2018.”

  • The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion

    The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion

    Parisian fashion label The Kooples is looking to Asia for expansion, starting with two monobrand stores in Hong Kong in November.

    It is about to sign a partnership deal with a regional retail group, with its Hong Kong stores to be in the Harbour City and Pacific Place shopping malls.

    This will build on the handful of retail outlets it currently has in Asia, stores and retail corners mainly in Thailand and South Korea.

    Above all, the new partnership will lead to the opening of the label’s first stores on Mainland China, from next year. The Kooples’ only presence in China is a retail corner at the Galeries Lafayette department store in Beijing. Similar formats could follow as Galeries Lafayette is a partner, and is planning further stores in China.

    Meanwhile, The Kooples is evaluating the launch of a dedicated China e-commerce site.

    Following Hong Kong and China, the Parisian label and its local partner are also considering Japan.

    In the fiscal year to August 31, The Kooples’ revenue was around €220 million (US$263.1 million), on par with the previous year, and the company sees Asia as a crucial growth driver for the 400-store brand.

    “Asia’s the next challenge” says GM Nicolas Dreyfus.

    The Kooples has appointed the director for its Asian subsidiary: former Balmain Asia COO Laetitia Mergui.