The fashion chain, owned by Japanese powerhouse Fast Retailing, will also increase its number of concessions in upmarket department stores from spring next year and is understood to be in discussions with House of Fraser and Selfridges.
Next month, Comptoir des Cotonniers will complete the first phase of its London expansion with stores in Hampstead and Marylebone.
It has nine shops in London and will seek other sites in the capital and nationwide next year. Outside London, it is looking for premises in locations such as Brighton, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and Oxford.
A Comptoir des Cotonniers spokeswoman said: “From the beginning, our first shop in South Molton Street delivered outstanding results in terms of sales per square foot and the growth this year in the UK is more than 20 per cent on the previous year.”
Comptoir des Cotonniers targets mothers and daughters. It caters for a wide female market aged between 15 and 55, but a core target group of 20- to 35-year olds. It also has a childrenswear range for ages four to 14.
The UK roll-out is being handled by property agents Kitchen La Frenais Morgan and Michael Horwitz & Co.
Kitchen La Frenais Morgan associate partner Mostafa Sbitri said: “There is no other retailer like Comptoir in the UK and it adds something new to the high street. In London we’re really concentrating on Regent Street, Covent Garden and Brompton Cross and then we’ll be ready to go nationwide.”
Comptoir will also open its first stores in New York and Switzerland Next year. It is already in France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Japan and Korea and has a total of 285 shops.
In May 2005, Fast Retailing bought Comptoir des Cotonniers from Nelson Finances. The Japanese company also owns high street giant Uniqlo.
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