Brandwatch: Bruuns Bazaar

Bruuns Bazaar womenswear collection

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Having cemented its international reputation, the Danish contemporary label is set for a renewed assault on the UK.

Bruuns Bazaar has been in and out of the UK market since its inception in the mid-1990s, with savvy retailers flirting with its fresh yet elegant contemporary styling.
Founded 13 years ago in 1995 by brothers Teis and Bjorn Bruun, the business has grown to include a wholesale arm and a five-store, 12-concession retail business. Sales last year grew by 24% to €30 million (£23.7m).

Over the past couple of years the business has been concentrating on developing its markets in France and Germany, but spring 09 marks the relaunch of the brand
in the UK. In June last year it appointed Jonty Rooke, former womenswear sales manager at Nicole Farhi, to be the UK manager of the brand, and slowly but steadily he has been building its account base.

The brand will have 40 stockists for autumn 08, up from 30 this spring. Rooke says he is looking to add five to 10 accounts each season on womenswear and would not be looking for more than between 70 and 80 as a final target for the business.

Independent stockists of the brand include 18 in Clifton in Bristol, Trilogy in Duke of York Square in London and The Hambledon in Winchester in Hampshire, as well as
some Fenwick department stores. Harvey Nichols is also looking to take the brand on for spring 09.

The focus in the UK is mainly on womenswear at present, but in Denmark and across Scandinavian markets menswear is a strong part of the business, as is BZR, the company's younger and more casual diffusion range aimed at customers in their 20s. Jonty Rooke says that although menswear sells online via Asos it will be a couple more seasons before it is relaunched in the UK.

Rooke says the brand has made headway with womenswear retailers because apart from fashion-forward design it also offers consistently strong quality in terms of fabrication at a competitive price. Retailers can work to a 2.7 margin.

Knitwear is about £35 to £60 while a coat starts at £100. There is a focus on dresses – they come just above the knee and are priced between £40 and £100. The brand hangs alongside labels such as See by Chloé, Vanessa Bruno and Issa.

Key looks for spring 09 are floaty tops, fitted skirts and sexy utilitarian styling on shorts and some dresses. A neutral earth tone palette is spiced up with vibrant highlights of coral pinks and bright yellows.

Founder and creative director Bjorn Bruun says that although the brand is represented in 50 markets worldwide and has more than 1,000 accounts, it is trying to focus on building key account bases in the UK, the Netherlands, France and Germany. If he had to sum up the brand in fashion terms it would be all about relaxed elegance, something he says is fundamental to the Danish approach to fashion.

Bruuns Bazaar 020 7499 1770
www.bruunsbazaar.com

Essentials
1995: Year the brand produced its first collection
40: Number of UK stockists for autumn 08
1,000+ Number of accounts worldwide