The collapse of the Australian arm of Ed Hardy this week will not affect any of the US clothes retailer’s stores in the Gulf, a Dubai-based spokesperson told Arabian Business on Thursday.
Ed Hardy Australian also holds the license for stores in the UK, Asia and Middle East. This week it went into administration, leading to the closure of stores in London, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Ed Hardy stores unhurt by Aussie collapse!
However, a spokesperson for the company in Dubai said the Ed Hardy stores in the Middle East would not be affected by the winding down of the Australian franchise holder.
The spokesperson added that the brand, which is popular with young Arabs, is actually planning to increase the number of outlets it has in the region and is aiming to open three new stores in the coming months.
Simon Wallace-Smith from Deloitte, who has been called into management the administration of the firm, said in a statement that the collapse of the franchise was due to “slowing sales and the competitive nature of the retail industry.”
The brand is based on the designs of US tattoo artist Don Ed Hardy and the clothing unit was conceived by Italian designer Christian Audigier.
In June, the Ed Hardy store in the Westfield shopping centre in London also closed after it fell behind on its rental payments. There are around 70 Ed Hardy stores worldwide.
