LOS ANGELES — November 7, 2014 — American Rag Cie, the iconic retail destination with it’s original location on La Brea in Los Angeles, has signed a license deal with a group of Hong Kong and Shanghai based fashion and retail specialists to open 40 stores in Greater China over the next three years.
The first store will open in the first half of next year and will be a 6,000-square-foot store over two levels in a prime position near Jinnan Temple in Shanghai, offering the full multi-label retail experience with brands and designers from the USA, Europe, Japan and China itself. Replicating the atmosphere, merchandising mix and service levels found in the original store the retail project will bring the best of Californian culture and international fashion to China and will build its brand mix around the original concepts of denim and vintage mixed with contemporary fashion and sportswear through to homeware and accessories.
The store will open featuring over 50 brands including names such as Public School, Mother, R13, Zanerobe, American Retro, John Smedley, Garbstore, Alpha Industries, Sanders & Sanders, Walsh, Saturday Surf, Anachronorm, Kuro, Nigel Cabourn and Hollywood Ranch Market to name just a few.
The team is headed up by Peter Caplowe, who took Japanese brand Evisu into China in 2000, where it is now a leading presence. With business partner Richard Hobbs he founded The HUB trade show in Hong Kong which launched in August 2013 as a platform for international brands to connect with buyers and distributors in the region.
“We are really putting our money where our mouth is” says Caplowe, “We started the HUB because we firmly believed that the next stage of retail development in China would be the growth of multi-label. We will now be a leading player in that field and have put together a great team of experienced professionals and investors that will see American Rag Cie become the leading retail brand in China in it’s sector”
The founder of American Rag Cie, Mark Werts, also a partner said, “China is becoming more influential in fashion circles and I have always embraced new trends and directions to the point where we will be working with Chinese designers to be stocked in our other stores around the world as well as bringing our skills and experience in retail to China. To partner up with such well connected people as Peter, Richard and Clarence Hui makes a perfect team.”
Posted November 19, 2014
Source: American Rag Cie