Finnish textile and clothing design company Marimekko is to open its first Taiwan store in November.

To be located in Taipei, the first store will have a retail floor area of about 100 sqm over two floors.

The opening is part of an agreement with Yun San Corporation to develop five stores by the end of 2018.

“Taiwan is a new and very appealing market for Marimekko. In recent years, Taipei has grown into a highly attractive city from the retailing viewpoint, and we believe that there and in the rest of Taiwan there will be plenty of demand for Marimekko’s colourful and joyous design,” said president and CEO Mika Ihamuotila.

Besides Taiwan, Marimekko also plans to grow its presence across Asia Pacific, its second largest market after Finland.

Through collaboration with Sidefame, Marimekko is slated to open its second Hong Kong store in November at the Elements Mall in Kowloon.

Sidefame and Marimekko partnered in 2012 to open 15 stores across China by the end of 2016, the first of which was opened in Hong Kong in May 2012, followed by two stores in Beijing and Shanghai which opened in June and August, respectively.

In mid-November, Look, Marimekko’s partner in Japan which has already started 25 stores, will open the fourth Marimekko store in Osaka, at Namba Parks Mall in the Namba district. The store’s range will focus on Marimekko’s new products and children’s clothes.

Earlier this year, Look opened a Marimekko store in Kagoshima on Japan’s southernmost main island Kyushu as well as a shop-in-shop concentrating on interior products and bags at Isetan department store in Tokyo. Since the August opening of the shop-in-shop, Tokyo has had no fewer than eight Marimekko stores.

Elsewhere, new Marimekko stores have also been opened this year in South Korea, Guam and New Zealand.

Marimekko has also expanded its operations in its other main markets, Northern Europe and North America. The main thrust in expansion has been on opening retailer-owned Marimekko stores and shops-in-shops.