Les Copains bringing luxury to the U.S.

European luxury label, Les Copains, which is owned by the Italian based BVM SpA, is setting its sights on the United States for expansion. The brand, which has become famous for its knitwear and is sold in department stores the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, is looking to begin brick-and-mortar operations beginning in June.

Surprisingly enough, the first city that Les Copains has its eyes on is not the first city your average person would think of when they think of fashion. The brand has announced that their first will open in June of 2015 in Buckhead Atlanta. While Atlanta, Georgia is not the first city on anyone’s fashion radar it should not be scoffed at, because Les Copains will be joining the likes of Hermès, Brunello Cucinelli, and Etro in the neighborhood.

Les Copains to expand its brick-and-mortar operations in the U.S.

The popular dining and shopping destination has been one of the top places luxury labels have been looking at setting up shop lately, and Les Copains is capitalizing on Atlanta’s developing status as a potential fashion hub. Developer Oliver McMillan approached BVM CEO, Francesco Leone, about opening a brick-and-mortar location in Buckhead Atlanta, and with its already strong status as one of the U.S.’s best shopping areas, Leone simply could not refuse the offer. “It is a very sophisticated shopping area, and when we’d been approached by the developer, Oliver McMillan, we found an attractive opportunity. We felt it was a good starting point,” Leone was quoted saying in Women’s Wear Daily.

Les Copains currently operates 8 brick-and-mortar stores in Europe and Asia with major plans for expansion this year. Aside from Atlanta, the company is also looking at potential retail locations in Houston, Chicago, Boston, and Dallas. The company formerly operated an NYC flagship on Madison Avenue for over ten years, but they closed after selling the pricey building that housed the flagship as an investment. New Yorkers were certainly sad to see Les Copains go, and unfortunately will have to keep waiting patiently for its return.

While the U.S. generates 25 percent of Les Copains’ revenue, much of that revenue in part due to fashionable New Yorkers of course, they haven’t set their sights on returning to New York City yet. A New York flagship is still a goal (after all, how do you have a major luxury label in the U.S. without a New York flagship), but it will not be one of the first U.S. locations opened. It seems as if Leone prefers to test the waters to see how successful will be in the U.S. before it invests in a massive New York flagship. Heaven forbid they go the way of Hong Kong based retailer Esprit, who just couldn’t hack it in the competitive American market and shut down all their North American stores in 2012.

While Leone’s strategy might seem a bit conservative it does show promise. The Buckhead Atlanta neighborhood does not show any signs of slowing down, and they do love their knitwear down south. To help with their expansion in the U.S. Les Copains will be showing its contemporary Blue Les Copains collection at New York Fashion Week. The collection will be showcased February 19th, 2015 at the High Line Room at the Standard Hotel.

Peter Som, who joined the company as the designer for Blue Les Copains last January is a big part of Les Copains current success. Blue Les Copains accounts for 30 percent of the brands revenues in the U.S., and there are plans to expand Blue at the U.S. retail level as well, perhaps carrying it in more department stores, or ensuring that there is space dedicated to it in all its planned brick-and-mortar stores. With the luxury goods market actually steadily increasing now is as good a time as any for Les Copains to begin their expansion. The U.S. will gladly welcome them, and New York City will be anxiously awaiting their return.