Casual chic

Malaysian Business, May 1, 2004

LOOK great without hurting the pocket? You can with Giordano's casual

apparel for the discerning customer. Since the label's debut in Hong Kong

in 1981, Giordano has been offering young people quality trendy clothing

at affordable prices.

Today, Giordano has more than 1,200 stores in 40 countries. It entered

an eager and receptive Malaysian market in the early 1990s and, by 2003,

had grown to a 41-store-strong network across the country. This year, the

company will be focusing on market growth and expanding its stores

locally.

While an influx of new entrants has made the retailing landscape for

casual wear providers in Malaysia more competitive in recent years,

Giordano has proven its staying power, thanks to the people behind the

company.

`One of the main challenges faced by my team is to consistently offer

meaningfully differentiated products from our competitors,' says Irene

Chan, general manager of Giordano (M) Sdn Bhd, who brings with her 14

years of experience in the apparel industry, including stints in fashion

cities such as New York. `We will strive to maintain our first- mover

advantage in providing added value in casual wear.'

Giordano's casual wear is enhanced with Lycra for added stretch and

comfort, while its sportswear range uses Dry-Tech fabric, a revolutionary

performance textile that breathes and manages moisture.

The company will also continue to upgrade the service level of its team

through constant training and development programmes. `Giordano is known

for its service standards worldwide,' says Chan. `For the team to be able

to offer consistent service levels to our customers at all times, the idea

of "service" has to be internalised. This is strongly embraced within our

culture and is one of the determining factors for the brand's success.'