The Conran Shop is to roll out a lower-priced range in an attempt to introduce new customers to the brand who might have perceived it as too expensive.
The range, called Well Considered, is aimed at younger customers new to the brand. Comprising 90 pieces - ranging from a £9.99 set of bowls to a £995 sofa - it will be launched in August.
Describing the range as “affordable quality”, Conran Shop managing director Nick Moore said he expected products to be used for spare rooms and second homes, or bought by parents furnishing their children’s university bedrooms.
The range comes as the furniture and homewares business founded by Sir Terence Conran returns to the expansion trail on the back of a strong performance in the downturn. UK sales were up 4 per cent in the year to the end of March and furniture orders have been up 15 per cent since then. Online sales were up 20 per cent.
The Conran Shop is also to open its first store in four years, in Kuala Lumpur, in conjunction with franchise partner Olympia Industries. The 18,000 sq ft shop will open in the city’s high-end Avenue K Mall next April or May.
Moore said he saw the new store as the start of an accelerated growth strategy. “We see room for the Conran Shop in most of the major cities in the world,” he said. The plan is to add 10 stores in the next five years, predominantly outside the UK and with franchise partners.
At present the business has two stores in London, one in Paris and New York, and four franchise stores in Japan.
The retailer also plans to pilot a concession model at La Rinascente’s store in Milan, run by former Selfridges chief Vittorio Radice. Offering predominantly non-furniture ranges, the 1,100 sq ft space will open by the end of next month.
“It gives us another string to our bow,” said Moore. “Department store footfall is so much greater but no one has done home in department stores particularly well.”
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