The British brand has just announced that it has hired a French press agency, Relative MO, for Topshop and Topman. It looks like the public relation group, until now managed from the UK, could be in need of a French touch, perhaps with the views of developing itself further on the French market. The new French press agency will be in charge of promoting the men’s and women’s online retail sites which have been launched in France in autumn 2011. Topshop’s and its founder Philip Green’s interest in France hasn’t disappeared since its last failed attempt at opening a store on the continent in 2010. Let’s see what happens in the next few months… Fashionmag.com May, 14TH  

  The American skating, surfing and snowboarding brand Volcom is to launch a closed footwear line in 2013. This will be one of the first indications for the consumer of the integration of Volcom into PPR, the French fashion group who purchased it last year.   The collection, which will include both a men’s and a women’s line, will be launched next year with PPR’s other Sport and Lifestyle brand, Puma.   Volcom footwear is currently marketed by the Volcom teams in the U.S, which accounts for more than 60% of its activity. Meanwhile, Puma Vietnam brings to the table its expertise in manufacturing and sourcing.   Source : Fashion Mag 07/05/2012 (Jean-Paul Leroy)

The rising women brand from Marseille, Sessùn, will open its first standalone shop outside France next month. The brand, which is already distributed in Germany through concessions, has linked with one of its clients located in Berlin to convert the shop into a single brand boutique. Created in 1996, Sessùn counts five standalone stores in Paris, Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Lille and Avignon. With a turnover equalling 11 M€ in 2010, this French brand is a little jewel to look out for! Source : FashionMag 03/04/2012

Due to the economic circumstances, IKKS has had to adapt and explore new opportunities in Europe and Asia. IKKS, which plans to open 30 stores every year, is strengthening its presence in the Benelux regions with 5 to 6 stores launched in the Netherlands. This year IKKS will also open its first store dedicated to womenswear in the Netherlands and Belguim. The brand will also focus on other European markets such as the UK and Italy as well as the Asian market with China as main target.   Today, IKKS runs a total of 350 boutiques of which 260 are in France. The brand has a total turnover of 250 million euros, of which 110 million are generated from the womenswear segment and 100 million from children’s wear.   Source : Olivier Guyot, April 2nd 2012

Crocs recently launched its new concept store on the 22nd of March. For the first time in Europe, the new revamped store design has been revealed right in the centre of Nice on Masséna Street. As Crocs celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the new retail environment reflects the brand’s efforts to reposition itself in the market. The usual green doors have been replaced by simple, wooden ones, while the interior has been conceived in such a way that customers can easily navigate inside the store and discover all of the 300 footwear styles offered by Crocs for men, women and children. Before arriving in France, the new concept store had already been tested by Crocs in three locations in the United States, its national market. Now ready to be developed in Europe, last week’s store opening in Nice was considered by the Crocs European Managing Director Vince Gunn to be a first step in its long-term growth strategy to reposition the Crocs brand in Europe. Two more stores based around the new concept are scheduled to open on March 28 in Hamburg and on April 15 in Frankfurt, while a “normal” boutique will open in Stockholm on March 30. Crocs currently operates three boutiques in France, but this number will soon be going up to four with the arrival of a new flagship in Paris. From now until the end of 2012, Crocs expects to open 10 standalone stores. Also based on the new design, these boutiques will cover an area of at least 120 square metres and will showcase the brand’s entire footwear collection. Sources: Fashion Magazine  

The French brand is expanding to reach international customers. Starting in 2010 with its flagship store in New York, Isabel Marant has opened 7 worldwide stores since. For the next seven months, the ready-to-wear laid back luxury brand will open 6 new stores in Asia (Seoul, Tokyo, Hong Kong), Europe (London, Paris) and United-States (Los Angeles) With more than 650 outlets distributing its main line, 100 employees in its Parisian headquarters and a huge showroom of 1500 square meters, Isabel Marant is a rising star!     The brand’s total turnover reached 70 million euros in 2011, an increase of 40% from 2010.         Source : Fashion Mag 12/03/2012

  Located opposite to Chanel’s current store, on 42 Avenue Montaigne, the new concept store, designed by the architect Peter Marino, will include a dedicated area on the second floor for works of art and private lounges. The old boutique on 42 Avenue Montaigne, will remain open and will be devoted to jewellery.   The official launch of the 600 squares meters boutique is on the 7 th of March, which follows Chanel’s autumn-winter 2012-2013 fashion-show.  The opening is restricted to a small group of VIPs.   Other news for Chanel includes the recent transaction of a 1 800 square meters store on New Bond Street, London.   Source: Florent Gilles