HMV adds fashion to its armoury

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 | By Rosie Baker

The move into fashion is the next phase of the entertainment group’s transformation from a retailer into a “broad based entertainment brand” and diversify its portfolio.

HMV is creating in-store areas called “The Studio” dedicated to fashion and will sell predominantly men’s clothing and accessories from brands including Boxfresh, Lee Jeans, FLY53 and Eastpak, from 1 September.

HMV’s London flagship store on Oxford Street will also sell hip-hop star Jay-Z’s designer label Rocawear.

HMV says that it is the “perfect outlet” to leverage the overlap between fashion and music and the step is a “natural progression” for the chain.

The clothing range will later be available online via HMV’s e-commerce site and potentially through its live music venues and festival sites.

The fashion venture will also see tie-ups between HMV and UK-rapper Kano who is already a brand ambassador for fashion label Boxfresh and indie band Everything Everything which already has a deal with denim brand Lee.

The fashion range will be launched with in-store gigs by Kano and Everything Everything.

It follows the launch of HMV’s digital download service, and its live music venture with mama Group

HMV fashion manager, Richard Stockwell, says:

“Music and fashion can be a perfect fit for HMV, not least because they overlap and influence each other so strongly these days.”