Online, the Swedish group operates stores for nearly all of its brands, but Arket’s entry into the brick-and-mortar market signals that the group believes in the potential of the local fashion market, estimated at about EUR6 billion a year. Furthermore, this move comes after several years during which the giant had largely put its local expansion under its existing brands on hold.
ZF sources indicate that the fashion giant could open its first store in the Promenada mall in the northern part of Bucharest. This was also here that H&M reopened its store of the same name about a year ago with a new design, which also houses the H&M Home section.
COS, on the other hand, has locations on Calea Victoriei and Baneasa Shopping City.
ZF sent inquiries to both H&M and NEPI Rockcastle (the owner of Promenada) about Arket’s arrival in Romania, but neither group responded.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)