Forever 21 opens in Dublin tomorrow
Amber leBon for Forever 21 Ireland
US fashion retailer Forever 21 is set to open its first Irish store in Dublin’s Jervis Street Shopping Centre tomorrow, creating 250 jobs.
The popular store is often labelled as the American equivalent to Topshop with its “fast fashion” – that is runway looks at below-high street prices – and huge crowds are expected at the unveiling on Saturday.
The much-anticipated launch, along with a store opening in Birmingham in the UK today, marks the retailer’s first foray into the European market where it will compete with the likes of H&M, Penny’s and New Look.
The group was founded in 1984 and now operates more than 460 stores in America, including its massive new flagship shop in Times Square, New York. The company has said it will create 250 jobs because of its expansion into Ireland.
Fast fashions
Forever 21 boasts numerous celebrity fans but it has also been at the centre of controversies. The brand has been entangled in legal battles with designers such as Gwen Stefani and Diane Von Furstenberg, both of whom sued the chain for trademark infringement.
Despite these hiccups, executive vice-chairman Larry Meyer said the brand is bound to be “hot” in the UK and Ireland because “the concept perfectly suits the European consumer’s insatiable appetite for trend-led fast fashion at value prices”.
The prices will also suit a much more cost-savvy shopper as trends in Ireland become more recession-conscious.
However, complaints are already coming through from customers that the price of the brand’s clothing in its Irish and UK stores will be more expensive than their equivalents in the UK. Forever 21 said this is because of local factors, including import costs and VAT.