Burberry Goes Global

Luxury brand Burberry is planning to open six or seven stores a year internationally after a rise in sales.

The company, which last week issued a trading statement for the ix months to the end of September, said wholesale sales had risen 14 per cent and retail sales were up 20 per cent.

The rise in sales was boosted by new stores and the acquisition of Burberry's distributor in Korea. In the first half of the year Burberry opened three new stores, in Milan, Virginia and Las Vegas. A further six stores will be opened in the second half including Burberry's fist in Russia. The Moscow store, which opens early next year, will be run by designer distributor Jamilco, which also operates stores for Dior, Hermes and Louis Vuitton.

The US, in particular has been a strong performer, partly due to the New York 57th Street flagship raising the brand's profile.

Burberry has also seen a revival in trading in Asian markets previously affected by the SARS virus.