In December, the OVS variety stores of Oviesse started selling shoes exclusively designed by Puma for children aged 0-14 years old. In the coming weeks, Puma will also supply the Italian retailer with a collection of T-shirts, shorts and sportswear for the 2011 spring/summer season that will be available in more than 100 of the group's 500 stores bearing the OVS Industry (fast fashion) and OVS Kids (children's) banners. The partners will subsequently decide whether to pursue the collaboration.
Oviesse has in the past had spot collections with established sports brands such as Adidas, in footwear, and Speedo, in swimwear. The company claims that 2.6 million Italian mothers buy every year in its stores and that every day more than a third of Italian children wear a piece of clothing purchased on its premises. Oviesse is part of the Coin group, which became Italy's largest clothing retailer after it took over the Upim network in January 2010. Some of the Upim stores are being converted into Coin and OVS stores. The group is also rebranding most of its Magnolia stores into OVS Kids shops.
Coin may undergo further changes in the future since PAI Partners, which owns 69 percent of the company, has appointed Mediobanca and UBS as advisers on a possible sale of the company, which should be sealed by the end of March.
