Cotton On comes to Nam

The latest international fashion retailer to set up shop in Namibia, Australia’s Cotton On Group, opens its doors in Windhoek on Friday. First started in 1991, the company quickly grew to over 1 300 stores across 17 countries, stabling a number of sub-brands, including Cotton On, Cotton On Body, Cotton On KIDS and RUBI Shoes. The launch of its first Namibian store at the Grove Mall on May 29 also marks its first expansion into Africa besides South Africa. “We have been very fortunate to have seen consistent growth and success in South Africa, with 120 stores already and plans to continue to expand our South African fleet,”, Cotton On’s Global General Manager, Felicity McGahan, said this week. “We constantly look at new regions where we will expand the Cotton On Brand, and as Namibia borders South Africa, the Namibian retail market shares many similarities to that of its neighbour,” she said. “After seeing some of our competitors experience strong performance in the Namibian market, we felt it was the right decision for the Group to move into its second African country.” The company has a fun-filled weekend planned for its house-warming, including a live broadcast by Radio Wave on Saturday morning. Other highlights are fashion stylists and a pamper station, a coffee stand and activities for the kids. In addition, the first 100 shoppers to go through the company’s pay-points are promised a free gift with their purchase. “The introduction of the Grove Mall in Windhoek provided us an opportunity to introduce Cotton On to a new community and export our laidback, quintessential Australian lifestyle to Namibians,” McGahan said. The new shop will trade from Mondays to Saturdays between 09:00 and 19:00, and on Sundays between 09:00 and 17:00. WINDHOEK DENVER ISAACS