Hunkemöller plans 100 store expansion in Germany

Dutch lingerie chain Hunkemöller is planning a significant expansion in Germany. The chain, which operates abroad under the name Bodique, plans on having opened a hundred new shops in Germany by 2014. Bart van den Nieuwenhof,

Hunkemöller's Sales Director International: "We have a lot of room for growth in Germany."

The Dutch financial daily, Financieel Dagblad, recently wrote: "Confidence among German entrepreneurs continues to grow." Business appears to be flourishing in Germany, with Germans being seemingly less affected by the financial crisis than its neighbouring countries. This makes it a suitable market to expand into, but according to Van den Nieuwenhof this is not the reason for its expansion plans. "The main reason is that we have room for a lot of shop openings in Germany. We haven't fully matured in the Netherlands, but we will only be opening a few shops a year here." Last year, the underwear retailer opened a shop-in-shop in House of Fraser on Oxford Street, its first in the UK. The brand plans to continue rolling out this concept throughout the country.

Hunkemöller currently has 145 stores in Germany, seven of which opened this year. According to Van den Nieuwenhof business is thriving. "Hunkemöller has proved to be successful in Germany and there is still plenty of room for more shops. The German customer appreciates our brand. We're a unique formula in the German market, which was previously dominated by department stores such as C&A, Kaufhof and Karstadt and mail order businesses such as Otto."

Dutch presenter Sylvie van der Vaart has been chosen as brand ambassador. The glamorous WAG will fulfill this role for the next two years. "Hunkemöller searched for someone whose look and personality formed a perfect match with our brand values," said Van den Nieuwenhof. The pint-sized Van der Vaart is already a well-known and beloved figure in Germany, where she has hosted several popular television shows. A breast cancer survivor, Van der Vaart is 'an inspiring personality who fits perfectly with Hunkemöller'.

With the opening of Hunkemöller's first store in the UK last year, the total number of countries in which it operates has climbed to 15 in Europe and the Middle East. 2011 also saw the opening of its first Austrian store, with nine more in the pipeline this year. The brand is currently working on changing its profile from 'retailer' to 'brand' and in light of this, has appointed its first head designer, Zoe Prince Smith.