Mengotti to bring Prada and Valentino to the Romanian market

Mengotti has concluded contracts to import several luxury brands, including Prada, Valentino, Dolce&Gabbana, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Etro, Fendi and Diane von Furstenberg, for which it has exclusivity on the Romanian market.

“These are all top brands, which will be available also in other store we intend to open in Romania. For now, we will have only accessories, bags and shoes, and as of May we will introduce the new 2008 collection,” said Adriano Mengotti, President of the Mengotti Group. He added that prices of products will be the same as in Western Europe. Clients of other local luxury market operators have noticed that the prices of top brands are more expensive in Bucharest than in Western European capitals.

The company’s official did not wish to specify the sales target for the first year of activity in Romania, but estimated that the break-even point could come in a few years. “This store is a test, and we intend to open a further three stores in other cities in Romania, but are still evaluating locations,” added Mengotti.

Italian Ambassador to Romania, Daniele Mancini, who participated in the event, stressed the potential of the local market, saying that “Romania is no longer just a place for production, but increasingly a consumer area for the entire fashion world.”

Mengotti said that more stores would be opened. “I like Lipsani, an area devastated by history and earthquakes, and I believe that Bucharest needs a fashion sector, a pedestrian area, for recreation, bistros, just like Paris and London. I would like to open another store in the Lipscani area in a few years,”
added Mengotti.

The Mengotti Group, which has 12 stores in Italy, had turnover in 2007 worth €30 mln. Romania is the Italian group’s first foreign country.