German accessories retailer Beeline is preparing to do battle with British store groups when it opens its first UK shop at Bluewater early next month.
Beeline, which trades as Six and has more than 1,200 outlets across Europe, may open up to 50 stores in the UK and is also expanding in Europe.
The retailer primarily has concessions in Germany, where it is in 1,000 locations, including department stores such as C&A.
Beeline head of retail and international business development Olaf Hornig said he believes Six will work well in the UK.
'We are very confident it will be successful and if this is the case we will open another eight to 10 next year,' he said.
The retailer has retained Harper Dennis Hobbs as its property agent to look for suitable premises in the UK.
Six is aimed at 14- to 25-year-old females, but Hornig said the retailer is not a direct competitor to Claire's.
'We have a quite different concept and don't see them as a competitor.
They have 10 times more products and their presentation is different,' he said.
Beeline originally began opening standalone Six stores as flagships for the brand two years ago and now has 20 across Europe.
Hornig said that their success meant the company is now expanding across Europe. Beeline will have seven Six stores in Holland at the end of the year and 25 by next year. It opened in Majorca and Austria this year and will open in France and Switzerland next year.
Beeline's annual turnover is approximately EUR 60 million (£37.9 million).
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