Retail Group of America (RGA), the U.S. operating arm of Fawaz Al Hokair Fashion Retail, the Saudi global franchise giant, has signed a 52-lease package with Pyramid Management Group, the mall developer whose centers include the 2.2-million-square-foot Palisades Center in Clarkstown, N.Y.
RGA is launching a dozen European brands in the U.S. and opening 175 to 200 stores in the next 12 months, with the goal of operating more than 2,000 stores in five to seven years.
The French, Spanish, German and British brands were chosen from Al Hokair’s portfolio of 70 fashion properties and include Promod, Jennyfer, Cortefiel, Women’s Secret, New Yorker, Ziddy, Sergent Major, Suite Blanco and Lipsy. All are new to the U.S. market.
RGA, which in 2012 bought the licenses to sister chains Monsoon and Accessorize from the U.K. retailer, plans to ramp up expansion of both concepts, which operate 24 stores in the U.S.
“There’s an opportunity for European fashion to be introduced on a larger scale,” Eisenberg said. “If you look at all the malls, you see a sea of sameness. The malls are showing great brands, but there’s not a lot of diversity. This is something new for landlords to present.”
Stores will range in size from 500 s/f for Accessorize to 15,000 s/f for New Yorker. The median footprint is 2,000 s/f.
The diverse group of concepts includes footwear, accessories, cosmetics, kids, fast fashion and men’s. E-commerce for the brands will launch along with the stores.
