The Red Fox group started its retail expansion outside Russia and the other CIS countries with the opening last week of a corporate mono-brand store in the Swiss mountain resort of Pontresina. Another one is scheduled for May at Lyons, Colorado. A Red Fox store that was going to be opened in Kathmandu last October is now planned for a start-up at the end of next month. Located right outside the entrance of the former palace of Nepal's king, it should contribute to the international awareness of the Russian brand due to its exposure to about one million outdoor-oriented tourists every year. Its image is probably going to benefit from the fact that many fake items from The North Face and other international brands are sold in the stalls nearby without any guarantee of authenticity. Red Fox is also getting some visibility at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi these days as official supplier of the Russian ice-climbing team. Since ice climbing was admitted to the Games as a demonstration sport, Red Fox has sponsored the construction of a 15-meter ice tower for the champions to perform on. It will be lending equipment to local visitors throughout the season, until the ice melts away.

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