Retail News Update

Coach, a marketer of modern classic American accessories, and its distribution partner Imaginex have announced the opening of a global flagship store within Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong area in the summer of 2008.

Ian Bickley, president of Coach International, said, “We are delighted with our Hong Kong flagship location, which is expected to be one of the highest volume Coach stores in the world. We understand that along with its strong local consumer base, Hong Kong is also a gateway for the tens of millions of Mainland Chinese tourists who travel there each year. This store will significantly enhance the Coach brand and is consistent with our strategy of raising awareness and aggressively growing market share with the Chinese luxury consumer. We intend to grow our Greater China store base from a total of about 50 locations today in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Mainland China and Macau, to about 80 over the next few years. Greater China has the potential to quickly become the third major market for Coach, following North America and Japan. Further, the timing of this opening is ideal, as our business here is remarkably strong and reflects accelerated consumer demand for our product.”

The 873-square-meter store is being designed by Reed Krakoff, president and executive creative director of Coach, with the Coach Architecture Group and will feature a new design created exclusively for this flagship. It will feature a four-story glass and stainless steel back-lit facade, as well as the Coach Horse and Carriage logo, highlighting the brand’s craftsmanship and heritage.