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Striking the right note: With Inditex fascia Stradivarius a few months into its UK expansion, we visit its first store to assess its chances of success.
Stradivarius may not be a household name in Britain but the Spanish women's casualwear brand is hoping that will change following the opening of its first UK store.Parent company Inditex has taken a cautious approach to the British market with the fascia, launching a transactional website in September 2013 before unveiling its UK flagship at Westfield Stratford on August 27."We felt Westfield Stratford was a great fit for Stradivarius given its established customer base of stylish young shoppers," says an Inditexspokeswoman. "Inditex is always seeking out the right locations for each of its brands. We are in no rush, but we will expand when the rightopportunities arise."The 4,252 sq ft flagship is sandwiched between fellow international imports Guess and Miss Sixty. Previously occupied by lingerie brand Gilly Hicks, the Stradivarius store is on the first floor along with Inditex stablemates Pull & Bear (casual fashion for young men and women inspired by California and Palm Springs), Zara (fast fashion aimed at urban young professionals) and Bershka (trend-led men's and women's clothing). Stradivarius is Inditex's only female-dedicated fashion label and is focused more on feminine style and less on urban trends.Named after the prized violins and other stringed instruments built by members of the Stradivari family, and recognisable by its treble clef logo, Stradivarius was established in 1994 as a label for 20- to 35-year-old women. The brand opened its first international store in Lisbon in 1997, before being acquired by the Inditex group in 1999.The Bohème store concept, used at Westfield...