The Scandinavian Invasion Advances: Sand Scores a Saks Shop

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Better bundle up: more fashion from Northern Europe has landed in Manhattan. Copenhagen-based Sand is the latest addition to the Scandinavian Invasion sweeping the city's retail scene, with a menswear shop-in-shop now open at Saks Fifth Avenue. The brand has been available at the retailer since 2011 and the results have been "explosive," Saks menswear exec Tom Ott told WWD.

He cites Sand's use of color, details, and silhouette as reasons for the warm customer embrace. "We think it's a great line for a younger-thinking consumer... We've found that old guys want to look young and young guys want to look cool."

While the brand is based in Copenhagen, it's created by a husband and wife duo from their villa in Como, Italy (Must. Be. Nice.). "We're Scandinavian, and it's all about design in Scandinavia... but we also love the values in Italy and the sartorial way they do tailoring. So we bring the two worlds together," says creative director and CEO Søren Sand.

They launched menswear in 1989, and womenswear in 1991, but only entered the States three years ago. Now, 120 U.S. boutiques stock the brand and plans for expansion are in the works. Expect to see more in-store shops as well as freestanding retail stores from Sand, and a push on the womenswear front.
· Saks Opens Sand Shop at Flagship [WWD]
· Is There A Chill in the Air? The Scandinavians Are Invading Retail [Racked NY]