US homewares chain Crate & Barrel has opened its first store in the Philippines.

The store is in Manila’s Mega Fashion Hall inside SM Megamall.

SM Retail Group has partnered with Crate & Barrel to bring the brand to the Philippines and more stores are scheduled to open in Manila in 2015, before the chain spreads to other cities.

Crate & Barrel’s US head of international visual merchandising April Young flew into Manila for this week’s opening, with director of construction John Moebes and other executives.

“We are happy to announce that the first Crate & Barrel store in Manila is now open at the SM Mega Fashion Hall,” says Crate & Barrel interim CEO Adrian Mitchell.

In collaboration with our esteemed franchise partner, the SM Retail Group, we are bringing in the best of Crate & Barrel and creating an exciting new retail synergy in Manila,” he added.

Founded in 1962, Crate & Barrel is now a global, multi-channel family of brands, encompassing houseware and furniture designs.

It is now owned by the Otto Group of Hamburg, Germany, and operates stores in North America, Dubai, Singapore and Mexico.

Under its new ownership the plan is to expand into other Asian markets.