Ann Summers expands its brand

By James Hall, Retail Editor 623PM GMT twenty-one March 2010

Both ranges will launch in April. Jacqueline Gold, arch senior manager of Ann Summers, pronounced that the launches are piece of a plan to change the notice of the chain.

"Ann Summers has responded to direct from business to enhance on the offerings to keep them seeking and feeling voluptuous all year turn not usually in the bedroom," she said.

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The swimwear will be labelled at a cheaper turn than the retailer"s hoop skirt range and is being launched in time for the legal holiday season.

The slip and swimwear markets are apropos increasingly competitive. Over the week end it was reported that Theo Paphitis, on of the stars of the BBC"s Dragons" Den, is formulation to begin a new slip sequence usually weeks after withdrawal the house of La Senza. It is accepted that his new sequence will be called DNA Lingerie.

Ann Summers has solemnly been repositioning itself over the past year as piece of an bid to make firm the brand.

The chain, that sees annual sales of around �128m, has increasing the mainstream participation with a array of store openings in high form selling centres, such as London"s Westfield. The sequence right away has 144 stores.

Ann Summers has had a great recession.

Late last year Ms Gold pronounced "Staying in is the new going out. People similar to to hearten themselves up in a recession. Certainly we are one of the retailers that are coping well. This is a really severe time as there are fewer people on the high street. We have the value that we are niche."

In a apart development, Ann Summers has teamed up with Playboy Enterprises to sell a slip set to applaud Playboy"s 50th anniversary.

Ms Gold pronounced "The Playboy Bunny Costume has been commercially reproduced for the initial time to applaud the 50th anniversary of Playboy. Never a code to follow the crowd, we are the usually high travel tradesman stocking this singular book costume."