Dive Brief:
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Menswear company Suitsupply on Wednesday announced plans to expand its sister brand, women's label Suistudio, after testing the concept for a year and finalizing the label's market positioning and retail strategy.
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The expansion began Wednesday with the opening of a Suistudio New York flagship, a nearly 4,000-square-foot store in the heart of the city's SoHo shopping district. The label also recently opened locations in Frankfurt and Milan and has plans to open a store in Paris by the end the year, in addition to "exploring numerous opportunities across North America," according to a company press release.
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Suitsupply, which features while-you-wait tailoring and an enticing Euro vibe, first unveiled the Suistudio label online-only last year with the tagline #notdressingmen.
Dive Insight:
In a statement on Wednesday, Suitsupply Founder and CEO Fokke De Jong said the company sees long-term global potential for its women's brand.
"Men come to Suitsupply for our expert craftsmanship and energized style," he said. "It's become clear a white space has existed in women's suiting and Suitsupply — through its Suistudio brand — is uniquely positioned to bring high-end tailoring to women that want to find their own perfect fit."
A pretty strong sexual current runs through Suitsupply, and that has been preserved in its women's label. But while the company is unabashed about its sexualized marketing, it says it also aims to portray women as equally strong and powerful as men. It's an approach to the "power suit" that infers real power. The company has said that its vertical integration allows for a luxurious look and feel, thanks to high quality Italian fabrics like Vitale Barberis Canonico and Ferla (mills from the Biella Region) and expert hand-finished tailoring, at more attainable prices.
The SoHo flagship arrives in time to feature the label's fall/winter collection, dubbed Heavy Lifting, as part of its store opening celebrations. Suitsupply runs more than 100 stores globally. In addition to expanding their brick- and-mortar locations, Suitsupply maintains a strong online presence.