Flagship London store is feather in the cap of Chinese clothing brand

A team from Gordons advised Bosideng International on its £20m acquisition last month of a prime retail location in central London for its flagship store and European headquarters.

The six-storey store in South Molton Street, near Bond Street, will undergo a £6m transformation to create three floors of menswear and its new HQ.

Bosideng is China’s largest down apparel maker and distributor and has more than 7,500 outlets in the People’s Republic.

It might seem unusual for a Chinese firm to be investing in the UK retail market at a time of low consumer confidence, but the move is part of the group’s broader strategic vision.

Paul Ayre, managing partner at Gordons, said: “This is a bold and confident move by Bosideng to establish its brand in the highly competitive UK and European fashion markets.

“By locating in the West End with such a striking building, the company has made a powerful statement about its intention to rapidly position Bosideng as a highly desirable high street brand.

“Having worked with them we have no doubt that they will achieve that objective.”

Gao Dekang, the billionaire chairman of Bosideng, described the acquisition as an important part of the Hong Kong-listed company’s expansion into international markets and development into a world-famous brand.

He said: “Apart from being the leading down apparel brand in China, the group has also successfully transformed into an integrated brand operator through acquisition, capital increase and direct investment in menswear, ladieswear and childrenswear projects.

“As the group’s first down apparel and menswear flagship store opens in the core area of London, the group will further expand its overseas business and fuel the growth with new drivers, turning Bosideng into a world famous brand.”

Mr Gao told a news conference last month that Bosideng sees opportunities for expansion into Europe by taking advantage of cheaper assets prices resulting from the debt crisis and its own cash-rich position.

Kelvin Mak, chief international officer of Bosideng International, said: “Our flagship store in London is going to be an outstanding landmark building and we are looking forward to the start of its construction.”

Gordons is continuing to work with Bosideng International on the construction process and the appointment of a construction consultant.