Johan Eyram Isacson, manager at Lindex fashion company - We annually sell about 80m clothing items

Johan Eyram Isacson

Fashion experts, as well as the lovers of "world-class fashion experience," will soon have another place in Serbia to shop at. The Swedish fashion chain Lindex has started looking for a master franchisor in our country. What is interesting is that this is the first time for that fashion company, which runs about 450 stores in 14 markets, to offer a franchise agreement instead of being asked to grant a franchise.

In our region, Lindex is present only in Sarajevo, since 2010.

In an interview with eKapija, Lindex Franchise Operations Manager Johan Eyram Isacson speaks, among the rest, about the situation in that company before its arrival in Serbia, the things they expect from franchisees and the future plans of Lindex.

eKapija: What is, in your opinion, the main strength of Lindex?

- Lindex has a long experience in international fashion retail (soon 60 years) and has now become one of northern Europe’s largest fashion retailers. Lindex today has over 30 internal designers that get inspiration from all over the world to deliver a world class fashion experience. Our costumer is a fashion-interested woman and her children.

Johan Eyram Isacson

ekapija: Which are the best-selling products?

- It’s different from market to market. Our heritage is in lingerie where we are well known for our good quality and fitting and are the market leader in Sweden & Norway. In our new markets we usually sell a lot of our children’s wear and, of course, the latest fashion for women. Did you know that Lindex sells about 80 million garments in one year…

eKapija: What results did your company achieve last year?

- Lindex is growing and the 2010 turnover was EUR 579 million, while the latest turnover for 2011 amounted to EUR 624 million.

ekapija: How has the global economic crisis affected your business?

- Since Lindex delivers an inspiring affordable fashion, we are not as affected as expensive high-end fashion brands. We always want to offer good fashion at affordable prices. Lindex is, of course, also affected by the economic crisis in certain ways, as all other companies, but when the market is not growing, we usually still acquire new market shares.

eKapija: Plans for the future period?

- Lindex continues its expansion both in the 14 existing markets and in new countries. Lindex won “Best interior concept in 2009” in Sweden and has now developed this interior further… We are looking forward to presenting this new concept, together with our latest fashion, to the women in the Balkan region.

eKapija: What are the basic principles you follow when expanding the network of your stores in Europe, as well as in the Balkans?

Johan Eyram Isacson

- We have an opportunistic way of developing Lindex franchise. When we find a good partner in a country that we believe in, we put all effort into making a good entrance into that market together with our partner.

eKapija: After Bosnia and Serbia, where else in the region could we expect Lindex stores?

- We are always looking for new potential markets. The next market has not been decided yet.

eKapija: What are the experiences from Bosnia after the first year?

- Lindex fashion has been very well received and we got fantastic feedback from our costumers in Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is one of the reasons why we so strongly believe in the Serbian market. Our partner Tiffany opened their first Lindex store in Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2010, and they have already established 3 stores and want to open several more…

eKapija: In Serbia you plan to find a master franchisor. What are the experiences with the franchisees up till now? What are the main advantages and disadvantages of such business (concept) in Europe?

- Our experiences with our Franchise partners so far have been nothing else but positive. Franchise is a very good way to enter new markets with a combination of local knowledge in many areas from our partners and latest fashion and retail knowledge from Lindex.

Jelena Djelic