Charming Charlie Unveils First New York City Flagship

NEW YORK, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Charming Charlie, the rapidly growing women's contemporary jewelry and accessory retailer, unveiled its first New York City Flagship last night. 

Founder & CEO Charlie Chanaratsopon was joined for the occasion by a variety of top editors such as Glamour's Cindi Leive, Sasha Iglehart and Gretchen Gunlocke Fenton, Allure's Siobhan Bonnouvrier, InStyle's Meggan Crum, The New York Observer's Jasmine Lobe and Jenny Capitain from O - The Oprah Magazine. The event was held in partnership with Glamour and Step Up, with a portion of the night's proceeds benefiting Step Up's mentorship programs. Music was provided by DJ Elle Dee. 

Situated at 445 Fifth Avenue at 39^th Street, the Charming Charlie flagship is a showcase for the brand's new store concept, and was designed in partnership with Callison Architects.  At 16,000 square feet, the three-level flagship in Midtown East is the largest of the brand's stores worldwide. Key design elements include a two-story, 30-foot tall glass facade, 20-foot tall double doors in the brand's signature vibrant pink lacquer and a classic residential-style interior that mixes feminine, mid-century accents with luxe materials. Walnut flooring laid in a Herringbone pattern and a locally sourced marble staircase are contrasted with custom furniture such as pink Tibetan lambskin chairs and a curved blue velvet sofa, unique artwork curated specifically for this location and multiple suspended Tom Dixon brass shades hanging over the grand staircase. The store also features seven uniquely themed changing rooms and will be the home to the brand's private Press Relations office and showroom.

"We are thrilled to finally have a flagship in New York City," said Charlie Chanaratsopon. "Opening this store has been a true labor of love for us, and we look forward to offering chic, effortless style and incredible value to the women in this great city." 

Launched just over ten years ago, Charming Charlie is on the move. Today the company has grown to over $500M in sales and nearly 350 stores across North America, quickly transforming from "the best kept secret" into a flourishing global brand. Known for offering a wide array of affordable fashion accessories merchandised by color, the New York City store offers the full range of product including fashion jewelry, handbags, small leather goods, scarves, watches, sunglasses, select footwear and apparel, a special occasion collection, and more. It also features a curated display of product that is unique to the store. Delivering on the company's mission to provide chic, effortless style and incredible value to modern women everywhere, retail prices range from $5 to $150 for select limited edition items.

Opening as many as 55 stores in the U.S. each year, Charming Charlie is continuing to build a loyal following of passionate clients and is quickly becoming the must-shop destination for women's accessories. Building on its momentum, international expansion was the next logical step. In late 2014, Charming Charlie made its foray into the global marketplace opening its first four stores in Canada. Simultaneously, the company signed its first international licensing agreement to open stores outside of North America and will be expanding into the Middle East in 2015. The company subsequently signed its second international partnership agreement with SSI Group (Stores Specialists, Inc.) for distribution in the Philippines. The first Charming Charlie stores are scheduled to open in the Philippines in late 2015.  International expansion marks the beginning of a significant transformation for Charming Charlie as the company evolves from a U.S. retailer into a global brand with a worldwide audience.

In addition to the buzz around its phenomenal growth, Charming Charlie consistently receives accolades for outstanding achievement. In 2013 Charming Charlie was honored with The Accessories Council's "Specialty Retailer" ACE Award, ranked number 745 on Inc. Magazine's annual list of "Top 5,000 Fastest Growing Businesses," and was featured on Forbes Magazine's "Ones to Watch" list. Prior to that, in 2010 Charming Charlie received the "Hot Retailer of the Year" award from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) and the "Marketer of the Year" award in the Retail Category from the American Marketing Association (AMA).  Within the same year, Charlie was honored with Ernest & Young's "Entrepreneur of the Year" award in the Retail Category.

About CHARMING CHARLIE
Growing up in the jewelry business with an upbringing immersed in commerce, Charlie Chanaratsopon dreamed of one day creating a retail establishment that catered to women who love accessories. He incubated the women's fashion accessory concept Charming Charlie in 2004 by creating a unique company that brings value to its customers by providing them with high quality style, affordable price points, and a broad assortment of product, in stores that are merchandised by color rather than category. What began as a retail space one floor below the family business in Houston, TX, has since expanded to become a growing concept of nearly 350 stores in shopping centers and malls across the country. For more information, visit www.charmingcharlie.com.

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SOURCE Charming Charlie

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http://www.charmingcharlie.com