American ‘cool’ to boost NZ presence

The owner of clothing brands Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Van Heusen is planning to open standalone stores in New Zealand.

Gazal, which is the joint owner of PVH Brands Australia, told investors earlier this month it was planning to open 34 new stores in Australia and New Zealand ‘‘in the coming years’’.

The retailer described New Zealand as a ‘‘new market’’, though there are already some Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein clothes available in a handful of department stores here.

Retail strategist Chris Wilkinson said opening standalone stores could be the company’s way of taking better control of its performance in New Zealand.

‘‘The move by manufacturers and distributors to open stores is to strengthen presence and rebalance the power retailers may develop in determining the success – or failure – of brands,’’ Wilkinson said.

‘‘In today’s ultra-competitive market, this is often the only way retailers can remain commercially sustainable.’’

Gazal told investors on May 9 that one of the key drivers to growth for PVH Brands Australia was to continue to open ‘‘free-standing stores’’.

The plan was to increase the number of stores from 66 to 100. The company did not give a timeframe of when that would start, or where the first store would be.

Wilkinson said while the company might set up a number of shops in New Zealand, its presence in the market could be short-lived.

‘‘It’s not always a long-term strategy either. These stores open and close on the whim of their global masters.’’

Calvin Klein is an American fashion house founded by designer Calvin Klein and childhood friend Barry Schwartz. The company is headquartered in New York.

Tommy Hilfiger, also based in New York, is a lifestyle brand known for embracing the classic American cool style. It was founded in 1985 and now has 1800 stores worldwide.

Van Heusen is a menswear brand named after John Manning Van Heusen, who in 1910 invented a new process that fused cloth on a curve.

Gazal also jointly owns other brands, including Pierre Cardin, Bracks, Nancy Ganz and HoldmeTight.