Folli Follie

Infobox_Company
company_name = Folli Follie
company_
company_type = plc
company_slogan =
foundation = 1986
location = Athens, Greece
key_people = Dimitris Koutsolioutsos
num_employees = 5,282 (2007)
industry = Jewelry, Luxury Goods
products =
homepage = [http://www.follifollie.com follifollie.com]
revenue = |€855,000,000
net_income =

Folli Follie is a Greek company which designs, manufactures and distributes jewellery, watches and fashion accessories.

The company was founded in 1986 in Greece by Dimitris Koutsolioutsos. The first shop was in the commercial district of Athens. Folli Follie started by manufacturing jewellery and in 1994 launched their watch line. In 1995 the first overseas store opened, in Japan. It is now ranked amongst the top 10 brands in luxury goods in Japan with 80 points of sale. Folli Follie fully acquired its affiliate in Japan in 2008. [cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=Folli Follie buys out Japanese unit for 12.7 mln eur | date=2008-01-29 | publisher=Forbes NY | url =http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/01/29/afx4586269.html | work =Thomson Financial | pages = | accessdate = 2008-02-26 | language = ]

In 1997, Folli Follie was listed in the Athens Stock Exchange. Capital was used to fund growth and geographic expansion. Folli Follie is currently active in 25 countries, including the UK (London; New Bond street), Switzerland (Geneva), Japan (Tokyo; Ginza area), France (Paris), the US (New York; Madison Avenue), China (more than 70 shops) and Russia (Moscow; Red Square); it has over 350 points of sale. [ [http://www.follifollie.com/documents/Doc1-FolliFollieAnRep2006ENG_FINAL.pdf Folli Follie Annual Report 2006] ]

Folli Follie had 5,282 employees around the world in late 2007 with total sales of €855million for the year with EBIDTA reaching €177million. Company's projects include a shopping mall at Marousi(opening in late 2008) and the rebirth of the historic "Minion" department store in central Athens in 2009. Along with two other mall projects underway in Romania FF Group's department stores' surface will exceed the 100,000 sq.m. mark by 2010.

The company's design team consists of Italian, Swiss and Greek top designers who work together to present two collections per year;Autumn/Winter and Spring/Summer. The collection's highlight is the premium K collection which includes limited edition jewellery and accessories pieces. Folli Follie 's philosophy is to offer a "full fashion concept" of branded, modern jewellery,watches and accessories at affordable prices. The company also offers a men's watch collection,re-launched in March 2006 under the brand name Folli Follie rather than the "Triton" under which it was offered earlier.

Folli Follie Group has a very strong presence in the travel retail market in Greece(via the Hellenic Duty Free Shops))and abroad, with points of sale in numerous duty free shops in airports around the world as well as in flight in major international airlines. The Group represents exclusively in Greece and certain countries abroad a series of famous brands such as Coach,Converse,Patrizia Pepe,Helly Hansen,Harley Davidson and others. The company also controls "Elmec Sport", "Factory Outlet" retail chains and the biggest department store in central Athens,"Attica".

Links of London

The british company Links of London known for its cuff links, charms and gold and silver creations was sold to Folli Follie in July 2006 in a deal of €45million. It has shops in 12 countries including those at Harrods and Galleries Lafayette.

References