Plus-size fashion retailer Elvi has embarked on an ambitious roll-out of its new fascia to all its stores and concessions as part of its brand overhaul.
The rebranding will take place at its 26 stores and 64 concessions. Six shops will also receive interior refits, which will be rolled out across Elvi’s portfolio if successful.
Elvi, which was bought a year ago by Langholm Capital, expects turnover to rise from£20 million to£27 million this year, and plans to double it in the next three years. It also launched a transactional web site last month, which the retailer claims traded as well as its fourth-best store in its first week.
Elvi managing director Oliver Spark has led the revitalisation of the 60-year-old brand and wants to make it a strong multichannel player. “The firm has a solid 300,000 customer database,” Spark said. “We can work with this well in terms of direct marketing and it can help us drive traffic to the web site.”
As part of the overhaul, Elvi will also test a more feminine store in Edinburgh, which opens later this month. The shop will have a different colour scheme and could pilot in-store promotions, such as makeovers, in an effort to pull in customers.
Spark said that the business has untapped potential. “The upper-middle market for 16-plus women has not been fully exploited; half of women over 45 are a size 16 or more,” he said. “We are moving further away from the brand’s occasion- and formalwear heritage towards more fashionable ranges.”
Elvi also opened its first international franchise store in Saudi Arabia this year and is searching for further space. It is exploring further international expansion through franchise partners and is eyeing Dubai for its next store.
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