Hardy Amies Stores

Hardy Amies (London), the high-end British men’s and women’s apparel label, has opened its first two men’s ready-to-wear shops, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and Chester, England. According to Daily News Record, the company is in the midst of an expansion strategy to create 30 stores in the U.K. within five years.

The company has also opened a women’s ready-to-wear standalone store in London, signed a licensing deal in Japan and formed a joint-venture arrangement in China.

“We are focused on expanding the brand,” Nigel Brunning, Hardy Amies’ chief operating officer, told DNR. “We needed to start selling some clothes, basically, and you get a lot more turnover if you sell it yourself than if you use wholesalers.”

DNR reports that the 1500-square-foot Edinburgh store, which opened last month on George Street, is housed in an historic building with airy interiors. Fixtures include suspended rails for apparel that exude a contemporary vibe.

The company has also set up a partnership with Aussino Group in China to set up two retail units in Beijing in time for the 2008 Olympics.