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This paper examines the growth strategies adopted by fashion design houses which have undergone significant transformation in the past decade from being privately owned, niche market companies to stock‐market‐listed businesses selling fashion and other lifestyle products to a lucrative and international middle retailing market. In order to illustrate this transition, the paper will focus upon the entry of American fashion design houses into central London. The expansion activities of these firms are identified and the resultant impact of their strategies upon central London fashion retailing is considered, providing invaluable insights to the impact of fashion retailer internationalisation and strategic growth at the micro environmental level.

Since the concept of the flagship store format was first introduced to retailing in the 1970s, both its form and function have evolved considerably. The highest concentration of flagships can be seen in the luxury fashion market. This paper aims first to define the flagship concept in terms of its key characteristics, and second to outline the academic and industry developments, thereby charting its evolution.

Research was undertaken qualitatively due to the exploratory theory building nature of the subject area and the absence of accepted theoretical frameworks. This took the form of non participant observation and in‐depth interviews with brand representatives within seven major fashion capitals.

The research identifies essential elements of the luxury store format: its scale and size which usually exceeds functional need; it is derived and built on the twin features of exclusivity and uniqueness; it seeks to offer the customer a justification for their visit. The format evolves and adapts to find new ways of generating and communicating differentiation.

The findings provide direction for future research in the area, in particular, an opportunity to investigate how luxury flagship stores adapt in order to accommodate market conditions.

The paper delineates the characteristics of the luxury flagship store format and identifies a new characteristic of this format.

Employing the qualitative method, this paper sets out to investigate the role and function of flagship stores as a market entry mechanism employed by luxury fashion retailers.

The paper employs an interpretive research position, utilising qualitative techniques in the form of semi‐structured interviews with élite informants. In total, 12 luxury fashion retailers form the empirical focus of the work.

The paper identifies the defining characteristics of luxury retailers' flagship stores. It finds that luxury flagship stores represent a strategic approach to market entry that is employed to support, enhance and develop distribution activities within a foreign market. The interdependence of flagship stores and the wholesaling method of distribution is highlighted. The importance of the flagship store in reinforcing and enhancing the retailer's luxury status and enhancing and maintaining relationships not only with customers but also with distribution partners and the fashion media is found to be significant.

The paper provides practical information to luxury retailers on the role and importance of flagship stores as a method of entering international markets.

Flagship stores are a pivotal aspect of any luxury fashion retailer's internationalisation strategy. For the first time in the literature, the paper provides insights into their form and function and an understanding of why they are crucial to the international development of luxury retailers despite their prohibitively high cost.

The paper seeks to explore the phenomenon of the flagship store from the perspective of brand management and brand context within the luxury furniture sector.

Adopts a case‐study approach, focusing upon Milan‐based furniture manufacturer and retailer B&B Italia and comprises interview derived data and archive material.

Recognises the difficulty associated with manufacturing/product‐orientated organisations to establish a brand context. It identifies that the forward integration of luxury manufacturing companies into retailing, through the establishment of flagship stores provides such companies with an opportunity to provide a context for their brand and exercise a level of control over its manifestation that is difficult to achieve through other distribution channels.

Highlights the value of forward integration as a means of establishing brand context and experience.

Demonstrates the wider value of the flagship store as a brand management device and the potential contribution to brand communication for non‐retail based organisations.

The purpose of the study was to construct a Leadership Mindset Scale (LMS) and to assess its reliability and construct validity. Participants were 100 employees in a variety of leadership and non-leadership positions at various organizations in three states. An item and factor analysis on the 13 LMS items led to a scale with 11 items (Cronbach α = .80). A Principal Axis Factor analysis with Promax rotation suggested three factors: Leadership Mindset Teachability (LMS-T), a belief in leadership teachability; Leadership Mindset Improvability (LMS-I), a belief in leadership improvability over time; and Leadership Mindset Predictability (LMS-P), a belief that leadership cannot be predicted at an early age. Convergent validity of LMS-Total and Teachability was evidenced by significant correlations with the implicit theories of intelligence and anxiety scales, and developmental leadership and transactional leadership scales. Divergent validity was evidenced by a non-significant correlation with social desirability. The results suggest that the LMS measures a construct different from those of other leadership scales used in the study. The LMS can be helpful in leadership training programs to promote a growth mindset about the trainability of leadership skills.

While much is made of the contribution of design to the achievement of competitive advantage within the British fashion retail sector, little attempt has been made to examine the processes in which design is managed, integrated and developed within such companies. With the cooperation of 11 of the UK's most successful fashion retailers, this research identifies that the responsibility for design direction and development has moved from supplier to fashion retailer, in order that the latter can fully exploit and protect the opportunities afforded to them through own‐branding. Suggesting that design control affords greater supply chain control, the research also provides a valuable insight into the varying roles and responsibilities of the designer as well as the differing ways in which the design function is managed by fashion retailers. In addition, the research identifies that for some of the most successful fashion retailers, the contribution of the designer has been extended and his or her creativity incorporated into areas of decision making not traditionally associated with that of the fashion designer.

A recent development within the UK fashion sector has been the adoption by younger consumers of products and brands which have been traditionally targeted towards older customer groups. While previous research has tended to focus upon developing an understanding of the motivations which lead young consumers to adopt, adapt and in some cases undermine the brands and products typically associated with other demographic groups, little attention has been given to the role that fashion companies play in this process of market extension and development. By examining the activities of four fashion companies which have successfully extended into the youth market, the research identifies the varying strategic approaches that these firms adopted as well as the alterations they were required to make in order to satisfy the needs of this new group of customers. The research concludes by examining the long‐term implications of this type of market development.

This paper examines the internationalisation activities of eight French fashion retailers, with particular reference to their motivations and methods of entry into the UK retail fashion sector. The research results suggest that the ‘new wave’ of French fashion retailers (ie those established within the past 20 years), take a more proactive approach to cross‐border expansion than their more established counterparts. Expanding further the traditional motivations for internationalisation, as well as emphasising the importance of wholesaling and master‐franchising to fashion retailer market entry, the research provides a valuable insight into the pan‐national activities of fashion retailers. The paper concludes by making a case for further research into this much neglected, but very important area.

This case examines the internationalisation of fashion retailing and is based upon the entry of French fashion retailers, Morgan and Kookai, into the UK. The case considers their motivation for entry into the highly competitive UK fashion retail market, and explores, in particular, the methods of entry adopted by these companies. The case concludes with an assessment of the potential barriers that exist in respect of successful fashion retail internationalisation and seeks to identify the internal competencies that are required of fashion retailers in order that they might replicate their domestic market success within other countries.

Examines the application and nature of parenting advantage within the context of luxury fashion conglomerates principally as a means of understanding the synergistic benefits that accrue as a result of brand consolidation within the sector.

Derived from company annual accounts, market analysts' reports and other secondary sources, the paper delineates and evaluates the ten‐year renaissance of Gucci brand from a company on the verge of bankruptcy to its emergence as the world's second largest luxury group.

Through the identification of intra‐business group synergies, it is clear that the transference of brand management expertise and competence is the principal dimension of parenting advantage in the Gucci Group.

From an examination of the Gucci Group's brand management strategy, resource investments and business development activities, the paper proposes a model of the luxury fashion brand. This multi‐dimensional model identifies the components of the luxury fashion brand, locates their inter‐connections and illustrates how these collectively can provide and sustain advantage within this highly competitive sector.