Esprit sub-brand to get separate stores

Esprit is plotting a raft of standalone stores across Europe for its youth fashion sub-brand edc by Esprit.

It marks a dramatic change of strategy by the clothing retailer, which until now has sold and marketed edc with the masterbrand.

Esprit brand president Thomas Grote says: “From now on, edc is taking its own path as a brand.”

Currently, the range is sold as concessions inside Esprit stores and although it has a different look to the parent brand, edc is thought to suffer because the masterbrand fails to attract teens through Esprit’s doors.

An insider says that although edc is a “distinct section” within the stores it suffers because of the older demographic of Esprit. “Teens don’t want to be seen walking through their mum’s stores,” he says.

Parent company Esprit de Corps, from where edc takes its name, is understood to have aggressive business and growth plans for the brand.

The company has secured a deal with MTV to showcase the edc brand at and around its European Music Awards to cash in on the buzz around fashion and music (MW this week). It will also advertise across MTV channels in Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Esprit was founded in 1968 in San Fransisco and now has 630 freestanding stores in 44 countries.