Forever 21 has announced its plans for expansion in France. A retail property advisor in Europe, Harper Dennis Hobbs, confirmed that the brand has been authorised to open stores on rue de Rivoli in Paris and at a shopping centre in Vélizy. The one in Paris will be located opposite to La Samaritaine’s store, inside a building that used to belong to Spanish investment company Restaura. “With a surface of 2,000 to 3,000 metres squared", the new store will show people the universe of the young American brand. However, details of the opening date are yet to be announced.

Meanwhile, Forever 21’s expansion in Europe is taking off in great speed. To be able to compete in the same level as giants such as Topshop, New Look, H&M, the brand opened its first boutiques in the UK at the end of 2010, in Birmingham and Dublin. Three store openings are planned for Spring time, 2 in Vienna and 1 in Barcelona. Those will be followed by some more during Summer, with 4,000 m2 boutiques to launch in London (Oxford Street), Brussels (rue Neuve) and Antwerp (Meir).

Forever 21 is one of the few large American brands to have withstood the financial crisis without too much damage. Previously, the company reported a double-digit growth in sales and its current fiscal year figures show that its turnover should reach the 3 million-euro mark. The brand is currently present in 450 concept-stores in the USA.

Bruno Joly et Jean-Paul Leroy