Source: The FINANCIAL                          Date: 21 September, 2010

Luciano Benetton will inaugurate a series of new stores in Russia, Mongolia and Azerbaijan, a number of them in partnership with eminent architecture studios: a commercial grand tour that demonstrates the Benetton Group's drive to invest in the future, underpinning its development with optimism, and moving apace with this changing, growing world.

In Mongolia the double opening in the shopping area of Ulaanbaatar marks Benetton's official entry into this market. The two inaugurations involve a large United Colors of Benetton store, on one of the main shopping streets, and a Sisley store, opened in the Bishrelt shopping centre on Sambuu Street.

The new UCB store, more than 800 m² over three floors, is housed in the centre of Ulaanbaatar in a Benetton building designed by architects Arassociati of Milan, with a rational, modern conception of its spaces that recalls Mongolian history and culture.

Like the ger, the traditional nomadic house that adapts to the immensity of the steppe, signalling its presence in the night, the new Benetton retail space stands out for its simplicity amidst the city's chaotic urbanization, offering an image of lightness and brightness. The Benetton Woman and Man collections are to be found on the ground and lower ground floors respectively; the first floor is dedicated entirely to Kids. The sales space features a range of warm grey tones that bring out the various themes and colours of the autumn-winter 2010 collections. The new Sisley store, situated on the first floor of the Bishrelt Shopping Center on Sambuu Street, presents all the glamour of the Woman and Man collections of the most daring brand in the Benetton Group.

This program of new openings reaffirms the Group's capacity to grow around the world, strengthening the constant thread running through Benetton that binds global to local, the future to the past, and innovation to tradition. In developing this retail network, special attention was paid to architecture and design, which have always been an integral part of Benetton's business culture.