Lucky Brand prepares to target Europe with first store in Belgium

US jeans retailer Lucky Brand is to step across the pond with the opening of its first European store, intended to pave the way for expansion across the continent.

The shop in Antwerp, Belgium, will open in September. Both retail and wholesale expansion in Benelux, France and Germany is likely to follow.

Lucky Brand, which cites Miss Sixty as a competitor and is owned by US fashion Goliath Liz Claiborne, has 70 retail stores and 403 concessions in the US. It also wholesales in 700 speciality shops. Its only other market is Japan.

Lucky Brand's European roll out will be spearheaded by Liz Claiborne-owned fashion business Mexx, based in Amsterdam.