Specialty stores chain brings in int’l brands

CEBU, Philippines - After bringing four big international fashion brands to Cebu, the Robinsons Specialty Stores Inc.   plans to add more brands to offer varied global fashion names in Cebu.

RSSI general manager Mina Quizon said the company has noted a fast growing market for premium brands in Cebu as well as in other parts of the Southern Philippine market.

To date, the company has brought in four premium fashion brands to Cebu, such as Topshop, Topman, Basic House, and recently the opening of European brand--Dorothy Perkins at Ayala Center Cebu.

Quizon said the company is on constant lookout for good commercial space to augment its current portfolio of brands in Cebu.

She confirmed that because of the very updated and informed market, popular and established fashion brands are thriving in the Philippines.

RSSI is owned and operated by Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. RRHI has more than 30 years of retail experience with the first Robinsons Department Store that opened in Manila in October 1980.

RRHI operates in 11 formats, 20 retail brands, more than 900 stores and occupying more than 650,000 square meters of prime retail space. RRHI also holds franchise and licensing agreements with 12 international companies.

In 2000, Robinsons Specialty Stores, Inc. was established to bring global fashion and cosmetic specialty brands to the Philippines.

Today, it has 13 brands under its portfolio - Topshop, Topman, Dorothy Perkins, Burton Menswear, Miss Selfridge, Warehouse, Ben Sherman, River Island, Shana, G2000 and Basic House - in partnership with the Arcadia Group Limited (United Kingdom), Aurora Fashions (United Kingdom), Ben Sherman Group Limited (United Kingdom), River Island Clothing Company Limited (United Kingdom), Comdifil Group (Spain), The Basic House Corp. (South Korea) and G2000 Apparel Limited (Hong Kong), along with cosmetic brands Shiseido and Benefit.— Ehda M. Dagooc (FREEMAN)