Buffalo opens flagship in London

Canadian denim label Buffalo David Bitton is opening a stand-alone store in London . After a successful trial with a temporary London store this summer, the company has chosen to commit to the UK market. The first store is slated to open on Kensington High Street in London , with further stores to follow in Brighton , Croydon, Kingston-upon-Thames and Kent in May. There are also plans for stores in Manchester , Birmingham and Liverpool . Eventually, Buffalo David Bitton intends to open 35 stores in the UK and Ireland over the next two years and is investing more than £15 million in the expansion.

"There is a vast gap in the market here for quirky product, and the female ranges are extremely strong," Jennifer Lacoste, president of Lacoste Enterprises Group - Buffalo David Bitton's retail partner - told WWD. "The customer base is very broad and it seems to have stretched from 18-year-olds to 60-year-olds. People love the fact that the clothing is different." The 4,400 square foot Kensington High Street store will offer David Bitton's women's and men's jeans and fashion collection, which includes embellished jeans and hot pants, and denim clam diggers. Prices range from approximately £30 for a cotton top to £180 for a pair of embellished jeans. Lacoste said that they had chosen High Street Kensington above Oxford Street or Regent Street because it was more personal. "We wanted the store to have a superb ambience."

Lacoste owns and operates all of the brand's UK and Irish stores. The company is also planning to expand into Europe . "In the next four or five years, we hope to open in the principal cities in Europe ," Lacoste said. In addition, Lacoste intends to promote Buffalo David Bitton with editorial and television promotions and collaborations with celebrities.