Playboy Enterprises Inc. (Chicago) has announced it will open a freestanding Playboy concept boutique in London in spring 2007.
The store, on Oxford Street, will be owned and operated under license by Global Designer Brands.
“Historically, Playboy has had a longstanding relationship with London, one of the biggest fashion capitals in the world. Playboy's growing retail success at London's preeminent retailers has demonstrated consumer demand to expand confidently to a freestanding Playboy concept boutique in this desirable market,” said Playboy chairman and ceo Christie Hefner. “Given Oxford Street's reputation for offering the latest fashions to discerning London shoppers, we believe that the freestanding Playboy store, while complementing our third-party distribution, will create additional interest and enthusiasm for our wide range of products.”
The Playboy concept boutique in London will be the eighth in the world. The company already operates stores in Tokyo, at The Forum Shops in Las Vegas, on Chapel Street in Melbourne, Australia, in Causeway Bay's upscale Fashion Walk area of Hong Kong, in Utama Shopping Mall, Kuala Lampur, and in the new Central World Plaza Mall of Bangkok, Thailand. In spring 2007, it will open a store in Auckland’s Sylvia Park, New Zealand’s largest shopping center.
The global lifestyle brand has a strategy to launch at least three stores per year over the next few years.
In addition to the Playboy concept boutiques, a high-end retail boutique opened in June 2006 in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas. The store is part of a larger entertainment destination, which is operated by the Palms Casino Resort and the N9NE Group, including a nightclub, boutique casino and lounge, and sky villa, all featuring the iconic Playboy rabbit head.