Balmain Kids opens in London

Simonetta, a well-established Italian licensed producer and distributor of luxury childrenswear, is turbo-charging its new commercial strategy, having announced the opening of the first two Balmain Kids department store concessions at Harrods in London and Oberpollinger, owned by the KaDeWe group, in Munich.

In a press release, Simonetta heralded the start of a distribution strategy aimed at expanding the footprint and visibility of Balmain's childrenswear line on international markets.

On November 1, Balmain Kids premièred at Harrods in Knightsbridge with a 100 m2 retail corner on the department store's fourth floor, in the Design Kids Area. The entire space is dedicated to Balmain Kids’ Fall/Winter 2019 collection, displayed in high-impact fashion with mirrors, gilded and laminated details, replicating the visual image of Balmain’s main collections. A few days later, Balmain Kids opened another concession at Oberpollinger in Munich, deploying a similarly designed, 25 m2 retail corner.

In the press release, Simonetta stated that “[its] new commercial strategy involves striking major partnership deals and solid agreements with department stores in Europe and beyond.” Simonetta is seeking to position its eponymous label and its licensed ones, from Fendi - by far the most important revenue-wise - to Emilio Pucci, Balmain and, recently, Brunello Cucinelli and Fay, with leading, high-visibility multibrand retailers.

In June 2017, Simonetta was taken over by Isa SpA, a Lombardy-based company owned by the Carisma group, a textile producer for leading luxury labels. In the last few years, Simonetta has expanded its agency network, and is now present chiefly in Russia, the Middle East, the UK, France, Spain, Germany and Japan. In 2018, the company went through a transition phase, during which it completed the reorganisation that followed its acquisition, making 2019 the first financial year in which Simonetta has again seen growth.

Balmain Kids opens in London

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