Chinese shoe brand What For, plans Europe retail rollout

Having already launched a solid retail network in France, Chinese footwear brand What For plans to take on Europe’s neighbouring countries.

Launching in 2008, the Stella International-owned Asian brand entered the French market in 2013, and consequently opened nine stores, with the latest boutique bowing in the Val d’Europe shopping centre in April.

While the women’s brand grew considerably in France in 2016 with the opening of seven stores, “the goal right now is to concentrate on the brand’s international development, which boasts more than 800 multibrand points of sale across 25 countries,” said Yann Tobelaim, president of Stella Fashion Europe, the joint venture group formed by the Chinese firm in Europe.

The new challenge for the brand, however, is finding potential store locations across metropolitan Europe. What For is targeting western Europe, including Germany, Italy and Belgium, and more specifically, cities with a strong fashion DNA such as Milan, Anvers and Berlin.

At the same time, What For — the mid-to-high end shoe brand whose prices range between 130 and 200 euros — hopes to also continue its French expansion with the opening of a number of monobrand stores, particularly in the south and western France.

Predominately a shoe seller, What For also sells a small line of leathergoods, which it started in 2016. Products are designed in Paris and manufactured in China.