Unitim Brings United Kingdom's Lifestyle Fashion Store "Harvey Nichols" To Turkey
Istanbul/London: 24th of August, 2005- Unitim, a leading and diversified Istanbul based business group, has signed an exclusive licence agreement with Harvey Nichols Group for Turkey.
The UK based Harvey Nichols fashion store will make its debut in Istanbul's much -awaited Kanyon Shopping Mall constructed by Eczacibasi Group and Is GYO jointventure which bring this ambitious project to life with its state of the art design. Scheduled to open in September 2006 and will spread over 8,000 sqm, the Harvey Nichols store will represent a diverse portfolio of exclusive brands in fashion, fragrance, beauty and home and will include a gourmet food market and fine dining restaurants, bar and cafe.
With the acquisition of the exclusive licence for the Harvey Nichols brand, Unitim continues the extension of its high-end lifestyle portfolio that includes some of the world's leading names in fashion, jewellery, beauty and fragrances.
"We are delighted to announce our partnership with the world-renowned Harvey Nichols Group, at the prestigious Kanyon Levent. It is our endeavor to make a firm commitment to bringing the best brands to Turkey and strengthen its image as the premier global destination for shopping and tourism," said Burç Cemiloglu, Chairman and CEO of Unitim Group.
The Harvey Nichols store at Kanyon Levent will be the fifth extension outside the UK, after the exclusive stores in Riyadh, Hong Kong, Dublin and Dubai.
Commenting on the partnership, Joseph Wan, Chief Executive at Harvey Nichols said, "We are pleased to be associated with a dynamic and distinguished group like Unitim, who shares our vision of creating a successful retail environment for luxury brands for a discerning audience. We see huge potential for the retail sector in Turkey, and are confident that Harvey Nichols will experience immense success with Unitim."
About Harvey Nichols Group
Harvey Nichols started in 1813 and is today the UK's premier fashion retailer, renowned both in the UK and internationally for the breadth and depth of its exclusive fashion merchandise. It offers many of the world's most prestigious brands in womenswear, menswear, accessories, beauty and home.
Harvey Nichols currently have stores in London, Leeds, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester in the UK and a store in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. September 2005 will see the opening of Harvey Nichols stores in Hong Kong and Dublin, followed by Dubai in December of this year.
The London flagship store is located in the heart of Knightsbridge, London's most fashionable and exclusive shopping district. The store has a gross floor area of approximately 230,000 square feet.
In addition to its fashion retailing business, Harvey Nichols successfully redeveloped the top floor of the London flagship store to create a Restaurant, Bar, Café, Wine Shop and Foodmarket which have become destinations in their own right. A similar concept operates from the top floors of all Harvey Nichols stores.
Harvey Nichols launched its first stand-alone restaurant in 1996, the highly successful Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, with spectacular views of the River Thames. A further restaurant, Prism, opened in the financial district of the City of London in 1999.
In April 1996, Harvey Nichols obtained a full listing on the London Stock Exchange and for the subsequent period of almost 7 years stayed as a listed company. February 2003 saw the return of Harvey Nichols to private ownership and Harvey Nichols Group Limited is now owned by the Hong Kong-based retail magnate, Dr. Dickson Poon whose retail businesses extend to North America, Europe, Japan, China and South East Asia.
About UNITIM
"UNITIM, established in 1998, currently holds the exclusive rights to distribute globally recognized brands such as Tommy Hilfiger, Gas, Camper, Accessorize and G-sus in Turkey. UNitim currently operates a total of 93 stores at prestigious locations in Turkey, Russia and CIS countries. The sister company, Imteks is a manufacturer for leading brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Marks & Spencer.
For further information contact:
Mrs. Senem Çakir
Marketing Communication Director
Unitim Holding
Buyukdere Cad Ecza Sok. No:6 Kat:4 Levent
34394
Istanbul Turkey
Tel: +90 212 451 1936
Fax: +90 212 503 78 61