AN EUR 80 MILLION INVESTMENT Cătălin Botezatu to open his own factory outlet in Mega Designer Outlets

Cornelia Angelescu

Designer Cătălin Botezatu is considered by many fashion experts as a successor of Karl Lagerfeld. Together with the German fashion brand Quelle, Cătălin Botezatu a few days ago introduced a swimsuit collection carrying the colors and the brand of Mega Designer Outlets. The designer will open his own factory outlet under the same brand.

The store will have an area of over 200 sqm and will carry all the clothing lines bearing the Botezatu brand (couture, prLt-a-porter and lingerie).

"I hope my initiative will be an example for other colleagues in the fashion industry. This way they will be able to reach a larger audience, which will help put to rest the preconceived notion that Romanian fashion designers are expensive and inaccessible", Cătălin Botezatu said.

The Cătălin Botezatu outlet is targeting customers that are looking for exclusive products at lower prices than in downtown stores. The designer said: "I believe that this type of store is a solution for people that even under difficult economic circumstances, remain loyal to luxury brands. This store can offer them what they were looking for". Mr. Botezatu also intends to coordinate a multibrand outlet which would feature products of other Romanian designers as well, which would be the first Romanian store of its kind.

With over 38600 sqm available to let and an investment of EUR 80 million, Mega Designer Outlets will open for the public in autumn this year, in the Western Area of Bucharest, at km 13 on the A1 highway. It will feature over 80 stores featuring some of the most famous domestic and foreign brands, and the collections will sell at lower prices than in other stores.

Chang S. Oh, General Manager of Mega Designer Outlets, stated: "We are proud that Mr. Botezatu chose to open his own outlet in Mega Designer Outlets. Even if 2009 seems to be a difficult year, we are convinced that this outlet will be well received. It is ideal for a period where people are cutting back on their spending and most customers are looking for high quality products at discount prices ".

• The US-born outlet concept, was imported in Europe

The "Factory Outlet" concept was imported from the United States, where there are mall-like dedicated retail centers, featuring a village square or quay-side layout. Such environments which feature large parking spots, entwine shopping and leisure.

Right now, Europe, whose population is 459 million, has 142 Factory Outlet centers in 25 countries. Another 34 such outlets will be launched next year.

The US has over 220 outlets, with a total surface of 55.8 million sqm, with another 230 outlets to be opened in the next three years.

The designer outlet centers sell larger series or end-of-season collections for some of the best known fashion, sports or home design brands, at prices 30-70% lower than those of stores located in the city, and the stores in this outlet are owned by the producers themselves.