Fashion retailer Reiss is poised to target a younger market and pilot a new fascia as it seeks to widen its appeal and develop into a global fashion brand.

The retailer intends to launch a casual collection this autumn and intends to sell the range through a separate stand-
alone fascia as well as its eponymous stores.

Brand director Andy Rogers said the range “will be a huge point of difference”. He added:
“It will be younger, edgier and have more accessible price points. It will be more directional and fashion focused with a denim line, which we have never really sold, or sold well before.”

Rogers said the range will give it a more “international” fashion feel and will allow it to be bolder and more creative with campaigns to promote the brand.

The range will comprise mens- and womenswear and include products such as shirts, suits, and t-shirts.

Rogers said: “This is the missing link for us and takes us to a different market. It will bring the age of the customer down.”

Reiss will also relaunch its transactional online business after admitting that the original launch in 2007 had not performed as well as hoped and was not representative of the brand.

The site will go live next month and in August will become transactional for the first time in the US. The intention is to open it up to other markets in future.

The relaunched site and new range will be the first two major initiatives undertaken by Rogers since joining Reiss from Stella McCartney in June last year.

In the year to January 31, 2008, Reiss’s operating profits fell to£8.8m from£9.8m. Sales rose 18 per cent to£67m that year.

Topics