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Famous Italian brand, Braccialini, has shown strong confidence in the business environment in Hong Kong with substantial new investments here. The company officially announced today (January 12) the opening of its regional office and two shops in Hong Kong.
Braccialini is a designer and manufacturer of handbags, shoes and leather goods and accessories. These products are marketed under the company's own brands Braccialini and Tua by Braccialini, as well as licensed brands Mariella Burani, Mila Schon, Looney Tunes (Warner Bros registered trademark) and Vivienne Westwood.
The new Hong Kong office, registered as Salkin Ltd, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Braccialini. It will serve as the Asian regional headquarters of the company, responsible for various functions including retail operations, sales and marketing, logistics and finance. The Hong Kong office will also be charged with the responsibility for developing and expanding the company's business networks in other markets throughout Asia.
Located in Fashion Island, Causeway Bay and International Financial Centre, Central, the two new shops will showcase products with the Braccialini brand.
The CEO of Braccialini, Mr Riccardo Braccialini, said, "We are very excited about our expansion into Hong Kong - one of our key international markets. The city is a centre for international lifestyle and fashion. Its central location in Asia and expertise in international trading make Hong Kong one of the few cities where we see the potential to conduct various business functions for all of our brands. This is also why we decided to set up our first wholly-owned office outside of Italy and retail outlets in Hong Kong ﷿ all at the same time."
"We will continue to look for business partners in Asia to help develop and expand our regional business. At the same time, we are planning to expand our operations further in Hong Kong," Mr Braccialini said.
According to Mr Braccialini, the company expects to open more shops this year in Hong Kong and other markets in Asia. It will also explore opportunities to open outlets to feature other brands under Braccialini.
The Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Mike Rowse, congratulated Braccialini on its office and shop openings in Hong Kong. "We are delighted to see another leading international brand using Hong Kong as its base to develop regional markets. Our unique advantages as the international fashion centre, regional business hub and popular tourist destination make our city the best location to showcase the latest products to Asian consumers and to manage the business operations in the region."
Founded in 1954 in Italy by Roberto e Carla Braccialini, Braccialini is a designer and manufacturer of handbags, shoes and leather goods and accessories. Its products feature leather trimmings, floral motifs, bright colours and embroidery -- combining traditional Italian arts and craftsmanship. Braccialini currently operates 15 mono-brand shops, over 90 corners/shop in shops and about 1,000 retail outlets worldwide. For more information, please visit the website at http://www.braccialini.it.
Invest Hong Kong is the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government department spearheading the promotion of investment into the city. It provides foreign companies with the support needed to establish a business presence or expand operations here. For more information, please visit the website at www.investhk.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, January 12, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:02
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