Espirit plans large stores in city malls

Esprit, a German lifestyle and apparel brand, has firmed up plans for a presence in Kolkata.

According to sources, the first Esprit store in the city will come up at the Forum mall, which will be extended to add another 40,000 square feet of retail space .

Esprit is known to have leased in around 20,000 square feet area in the mall.

Conforming Esprit's plans in Kolkata, company sources said, the first Esprit store in Kolkata would be launched by next year.

Esprit at present has footprints in ten cities, with a total of 28 outlets , out of which 16 are exclusive stores and 12 are shop in shops.

The German retail brand entered Indian markets in 2005 in collaboration with Mudra Garment, a unit of the Aditya Birla Group.

Esprit Holdings Ltd has a global turnover of around US$ 5 billion in retail value and is present in nearly 44 countries. The group operates approximately 640 directly-managed retail outlets and has over 12,000 wholesale outlets internationally.

Esprit will also retail its recently launched EDC brand, specifically targeted at the youth, from the Kolkata store.

The recent retail real estate development in and around Kolkata has prompted many international retailers to open stores in Kolkata, which is still considered as a tier II city in terms of real estate development.

Apart from Esprit, Stefen Brother, Forest Essentials and Voto (all apparel brands) are some of the brands scouting for retail expansion in the city. Italian fashion sportswear brand 'Bossini' and Spanish menswear brand Springfield, brought in India by the The Landmark Group, are also contemplating opening outlets in Kolkata.

International shoe brand like Catwalk and pen brand William Penn are some other brands looking for presence in the city. High-end brands like Versace and Boss are also in advanced stages of discussions for outlets in the upcoming Atria mall.