Car showroom targets women

Virgin Clothing has scrapped plans for standalone shops, putting a project by retail specialist Redjacket on hold indefinitely. A Virgin Clothing spokeswoman says opposition from fashion retailers which will be stocking the brand is behind the dropping of the Virgin-branded retail plans.

The move follows the decision by Virgin Vie – also part of Virgin-branded joint venture group Victory Corporation – to redesign its store formats to increase its lacklustre footfall (DW 10 July).

The first range from Virgin Clothing is due to hit stores, such as Selfridges, next month. “This season we will be working through independent retailers, with a shop-in-shop format. Future plans are the same,” says the spokeswoman. The format is designed by CIL Shopfitters.

The spokeswoman adds that more retailers will be approached as potential stockists. Branded stores will be avoided so as not to “alienate existing retailers”. Redjacket managing director Martyn Bullock was unable to comment on Virgin Clothing plans.

This week sees the launch of Virgin Clothing’s identity, created by Brand Works. It moves away from previous Virgin spin-off logos by introducing a completely new marque rather than a modified version of the traditional

Virgin script. The consultancy, formed by a merger between Funhouse and International Design Logic, was appointed to the job last year (DW 18 April 1997).

See News Analysis, page 8