White Stuff is launching stores across the US this summer, as it ramps up its international expansion plans through its growing wholesale business.
Starting this month, customers in seven states will be able to shop from a specially curated collection of women’s clothing from the retailer.
Around 18 small and medium sized independent US retailers will house White Stuff’s designs, which it says will give it the opportunity to test and learn, as it seeks to grow its product offering to include menswear, and expand into major department stores across the country.
The move comes after the company carried out a successful trial across Michigan and Illinois with wholesale partner Showroom Code, which it claimed delivered strong sales and positive feedback from customers.
White Stuff said its wholesale business had allowed it to extend its reach to a wider customer base, partnering with local independent retailers that pre-order stock direct from the company to sell via their own stores and channels.
Its wholesale business currently represents around 8% of its overall sales, with 410 existing partnerships across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Greece, Canada and New Zealand.
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The past year has seen record sales for its wholesale, with the company now planning to double the size of its wholesale business over the next 4 years under its ongoing transformation strategy to modernise the brand, acquire new customers and become more relevant to more people.
White Stuff CEO Jo Jenkins said: “The US is a big market with a meaningful opportunity for a distinctive British brand like ours, and we’re confident that our thoughtfully created designs in quality fabrics will resonate with US customers across the pond.
“Our wholesale business has helped us learn and adapt to new markets like Canada, New Zealand and the Czech Republic in the past few years and has significant potential in the US.”
“As we continue to scale White Stuff into an internationally recognised fashion and lifestyle brand, we see wholesale playing a bigger role in our strategy.”
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