Gerry Weber International AG (GWI1), Germany’s second-largest women’s clothing maker, said it plans to open stores in Istanbul by 2012 as the first step in setting up a chain of outlets across Turkey.
Gerry Weber aims to start two shops with a local partner as early as the end of this year, Gulay Taskiran, head of the retailer’s Turkish unit, said today in a telephone interview.
“We are in talks with four to five leading Turkish retail groups,” she said, declining to identify any candidates. “We want to sign a franchise agreement with one of them this year that fits best in our style and quality.”
The German company, based in Halle in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, had 431 stores worldwide under its own brand and 2,122 outlets through other retailers such as space at department stores as of April 30, according to the company’s fiscal second-quarter report. Gerry Weber may open as many as 15 stores in Turkey, Taskiran said.
The company also plans to expand purchases from Turkish textile manufacturers from about 80 million euros ($115 million) a year currently, Taskiran said. Suppliers in the country already account for 90 percent of jersey fabric that Gerry Weber uses in making clothes, she said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Ercan Ersoy in Istanbul at eersoy@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Benedikt Kammel at bkammel@bloomberg.net.
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