Competitive market leads clothing retailer to new pastures
22 Mar '06
3 min read
The value of the stake is reported to be a 'few' million, though the exact amount of the investment has not been disclosed.
Store fixtures are modern and convey a minimalist backdrop to the boldly coloured, Eastern-inspired clothing on display.
East's target market aged 30-45 is at its peak as it contains the children of post-war baby boomers. Therefore the brand has high potential over the next few years.
But this is not enough alone to grow a womenswear brand – East needs to make sure it remains both commercial and contemporary in an ever changing fashion market. East is a niche retailer. Therefore its long term growth prospects in the UK are limited.
Like most niche womenswear retailers such as Phase Eight and Reiss, it risks losing its exclusive appeal if it becomes ubiquitous, and may not grow to mass market scale because there are not enough catchment areas that will support a premium retailer.
marketing@alchempro.com
