SHOPPING CENTERS RUSSIA | FEBRUARY 2019 | 67
Your shopping centers are an attractive platform for new tenants to enter Russia. Are there any news here now?
Brands from America and Western Europe have always treated Russia with interest, but also with some wariness. In the past five years, this vigilance has intensified due to the geopolitical and general economic situation — this is why our company has opened a franchise area, because the scheme of working with Western brands on its own is probably more promising and even economically sound. For example, we are developing the G-Star project: first we opened it in Vegas, then we launched it in “Afimoll” and now we are discussing the opening in “Aviapark”, we are considering other objects. In addition, we have a large project of John Varvatos — this brand is closer to the luxury one. We are not stopping at this, we are negotiating with representatives of the premium segment and with mass-market brands.
As a rule, we bring brands to the market through our shopping centers, this is one of the key conditions for our interaction.
Focus on the fashion segment — «trick» for Vegas. Perhaps, you feel now that some formats in this segment are not enough in the market? Or are they fully «staffed»?
I believe that, in principle, there is a shortage of players in each segment in the Russian market. The accessory segment is not developed, there is a small choice in the shoe category, there is much to be done in fashion. I want more players like Sandro, Maje, Pinko. We see a prospect for brands such as, for example, P.A.R.O.S.H., Selfportrait, Wandler, Joseph or similar, not only on the Internet, but also offline.
However, in recent times, many brands are leaving. We hope that the development of our own retail business will allow us to open some new interesting projects.
Text: Nadezhda Gorbacheva,
Oleg Ovchinnikov