SYDNEY: Accessories umbrella company Luxottica Group has announced plans to extend its Sunglass Hut retail network into Thailand.
Luxottica Group Australian chief executive officer Chris Beer said the group had signed a franchise agreement with private company Diethelm Keller that will see it add 15 stores to its global network in the growing Southeast Asian market.
The group, which acquired the Sunglass Hut business last year, currently operates around 220 Sunglass Hut stores across Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Beer said the entry into Thailand would strengthen the brand's presence in that corner of the world, which represented a high-potential growth region for the sun retail business. It was also an example of the "significant" additional opportunities for growth for the Sunglass Hut business globally, he said.
"Specifically this transaction represents an important step in the development of the Sunglass Hut brand in Asia-Pacific, allowing us to leverage its global attributes while partnering with local expertise to maximise growth opportunities also in new markets."
The move follows the label's attempts to secure a more "luxurious" brand positioning which earlier this year saw its Australian arm redevelop its logo while targeting a new breed of consumer.