Canadian lingerie and sleepwear specialist La Senza wants to open a further 35 shops in the UK by the end of next year as part of a pan-European expansion strategy.
The company, which raised £20m when it floated on the UK Alternative Investment Market last spring, is looking for outlets of around 185 sq m (2,000 sq ft) in major British towns including Glasgow and London. There are already 30 stores trading around the country since the first opened in the Lakeside shopping centre in Thurrock, Essex, in 1994.
Managing director Joel Teitelbaum said the company planned to have 175 units in the UK by 2001, to complement 123 already trading in Canada. He will look at expanding into other European countries in 2-3 years time.
He added: “We regard Britain as the gateway to the rest of Europe. Marks & Spencer has 32% of the underwear market in the UK but the rest is up for grabs.”
EGi News (MAPIC) 18/11/96
