Entertainment retailer HMV is diversifying into fashionwear, with a range of clothing and accessories going on sale across its stores from September 1.
HMV is partnering with a small number of select fashion brands that share its passion and affinity for music, including Boxfresh, Lee Jeans, FLY53 and Eastpak. HMV’s Oxford Circus flagship store will additionally stock designs by Rocawear – the label founded by Hip Hop icon Jay-Z.
The ranges, which will predominantly feature men’s clothing, such as t-shirts, shirts, jackets and jeans, as well as accessories such as bags, hats, belts, wallets and sunglasses, will go into 38 larger HMV stores, including in London’s Oxford Street, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Southampton, Cardiff, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin. The ranges will be merchandised in a dedicated in-store department – The Studio – which will also carry related and licensed entertainment products. Smaller HMVs will stock a more limited selection of amplified and other t-shirts and accessories to ensure that the majority of HMV’s 280 stores have some kind of fashion offer.
HMV fashion manager Richard Stockwell says, “Music and fashion can be a perfect fit for HMV, not least because they overlap and influence each other so strongly these days. And, of course, we now also own a number of music venues and festivals in addition to our stores, so our brand is even more uniquely placed to create a compelling retail offer to our customers and a cool environment for them to shop in. Now they can check out and buy the latest street fashions at the same time they come in to make their music and entertainment purchases.”
– IndiaRetailing Bureau
