The Hindu Business Line : Giordano plans 100-store chain in 5 years

International casualwear brand Giordano plans to set up 100 stores in India in the next five years. It opened its first store in India here at the Chennai City Centre about a month ago and has inked deals for five more stores in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai, including one more in Chennai.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Peter Lau, Chairman and Chief Executive, Giordano International Ltd, said these stores would take about two years to come up as the malls housing them are expected to be ready in that time. Giordano had explored setting up shop in the country six years ago but the lack of good shopping centres had made it wait, he said.

The brand is also mulling franchising stores for the high street and in existing shopping centres eventually.

New range

Mr Lau said Giordano believes in offering a certain amount of merchandise to suit local/ethnic tastes. In India, a small portion of its range comprises kurtas. Its range for working women, Giordano Ladies, and Giordano Junior, its children's brand, will be introduced later in India.

Giordano's clothes, all imported, are priced between Rs 395 and Rs 1,995. Its range includes t-shirts, denims, khakis and linen clothes.

Giordano is a Hong Kong-based brand with a network of 1,800 stores in over 30 countries in Asia and AustraliaIt also supplies merchandise for some major brands such as Levi's and Disney, Mr Lau said, adding that this business accounts for 20-30 per cent of the group's activities.

It sells luggage and watches under the Giordano brand in India and other countries, which are distributed under a licence arrangement and sold through exclusive stores and shop-in-shops, he explained. It also makes a budget brand of apparel called Blue Star, which is sold in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia.

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Giordano plans 100-store chain in 5 years