Marimekko to open shop in NYC Crate and Barrel

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 8/16/2010 10:44:07 AM

New York - Finnish textile and clothing design house Marimekko will open a 1,775-square-foot "shop-within-a-shop" in Crate and Barrel's showroom in the Soho district of New York this fall, part of a broader plan to strengthen its brand presence in the United States.

The shop in Crate & Barrel will open in mid-October. Marimekko said in a press release that it is "exploring further opportunities for collaboration" with the Top 100 company, including more shops and e-commerce.

Marimekko also said it is founding a new U.S. subsidiary in partnership with brand management firm C2Group to manage and develop its U.S. operations. C2Group is led by Lynn Shanahan, Karen Martin and Allison Niles.

The new subsidiary will set the foundation for Marimekko's expanded U.S. presence, which will include a showroom opening in Manhattan in August and longer-term plans to expand distribution through high-end department stores and specialty stores as well as more Marimekko stores.

There currently are three Marimekko stores in the United States in New York, Cambridge, Mass., and Miami.