Cath Kidston continues advance as targets Latin America

Mention the name Cath Kidston and more often than not the mind will drift to the floral prints the brand is famous for.

Long a staple in the UK where there are now 70 stores, the designs have been growing in popularity around the world. There are more than 130 stores outside of the UK, in diverse locations from Spain to China and Thailand. Last month the brand announced the first stores in India will open for business this Autumn.

And next on the list is Latin America. The firm has hired Michael Engelhaupt from Under Armour International, the American sports clothing and accessories company, to drive the expansion forward. Mr Engelhaupt was head of franchise international and has previously worked for sports brand Adidas.

Internet boost

The company says strong online orders sparked the move into Latin America. “Over time we expect to expand across the region but initially we will be focused on Mexico and Chile because of the inward interest in Cath Kidston coming from those two markets,” says chief executive Kenny Wilson.

“Michael will be talking to potential franchise partners and, as we have done in other markets, we are looking to do a combination of standalone stores and concessions. “We did research as we do before deciding to go into any new market and this said that there was a market in Latin America and interest for fun, cheerful, British products like Cath Kidston. We are very confident in the consumer appeal in Latin America for our products,” he adds.