LK Bennett in official Russian debut after soft launch and campaign shoot

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Mar 14, 2017

LK Bennett is officially launching its first store in Russia on Thursday (March 16). The debut follows a soft launch last August at the Metropolis mall in Moscow as the UK firm targets faster growth abroad.

The mid-market retailer, which sells womenswear and accessories in addition to the footwear with which the chain originally launched, is also planning to open two more stores in China, one at New York’s World Trade Center and one in Qatar.

Russia has been a key target for the firm in recent months and last December it shot its first campaign in the country, featuring a number of Russian landmarks. The shoot took in Moscow’s historic Art Nouveau Metropol Hotel, as well as at the city’s famous Mayakovskaya metro station, and starred Bolshoi soloists Anna Okuneva and Yanina Parienko.

The move into Russia comes as its owners, private equity firms Phoenix and Sirius, have injected extra expansion cash into the business and overseen a management shake-up with the company now helmed by ex-BHS chief Darren Topp.

The company is also reported to be planning more UK concessions with openings in John Lewis stores as it works to increase its retail exposure while minimising the costs that come along with standalone stores.