LC Waikiki
LC Waikiki store in Gjakova, Kosovo | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Georges Amouyal |
| Headquarters | Istanbul , Turkey |
Number of locations | 1,300 (2024)[1] |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Vahap Küçük (chairman); Mustafa Küçük (CEO) |
| Products | Clothing |
| Revenue | US$4.92 billion (2024) |
| Owner | LC Waikiki Mağazacılık |
Number of employees | 55,000 (2024)[2] |
| Subsidiaries | XSIDE; LCW Home |
| Website | www |
| Footnotes / references Exports: US$1.2 billion (2024).[3] | |
LC Waikiki (stylised LCW) is a Turkish ready-to-wear clothing and lifestyle retailer headquartered in Istanbul. The brand was founded in France in 1988 and became Turkish-owned in 1997 after acquisition by Tema Tekstil (Taha Group).[4] The name combines LC for the French phrase Les Copains (“friends”) with “Waikiki,” referencing the beach in Hawaiʻi.[5]
History
Founded in Paris in 1988 by Georges Amouyal, LC Waikiki was acquired by Turkey's Tema Tekstil in 1997 and restructured in Istanbul.[6] The company’s early identity featured a chimpanzee mascot, prominent in its 1990s branding.[7] Its 1,000th store opened in Kyiv in 2020.[8]
Operations
LC Waikiki reported net sales of approximately US$4.92 billion (₺144.7 billion) and exports of US$1.2 billion*for 2024, employing around 55,000 staff and managing over 1,200 stores.[9] Independent media coverage cites a turnover of about US$7.04 billion (₺207 billion) in 2024 a 55 % year-on-year increase.[10]
According to the LC Waikiki website, retail stores are in the following countries:
- The Americas: Chile, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Venezuela, and now in El Salvador's Multiplaza shopping center.
- Africa: Côte d'Ivoire, Dem. Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Reunion (FRANCE), Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.
- Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, , Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
- Europe: Albania, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Cyprus, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Georgia.
- Middle East: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, UAE.
Global Presence
As of 2024, LC Waikiki operates ~1,300 stores across 61 countries on five continents, including new entries in Chile, Guatemala, Côte d’Ivoire, Somalia, and Mongolia.[11][12][13][14]
E-Commerce
In 2024, LC Waikiki’s e-commerce site lcwaikiki.com achieved first-party net online sales of US$163.1 million, primarily within the fashion sector.[15]
Ownership
Ownership breakdown: Küçük Family 47.49 %; Dizdar Family 35.22 %; Kısacık Family 7.21 %; Amouyal Family 6.50 %; Others 3.59 %.[16]
References
- ^ "Turkish clothing giant LCW hints at potential to reopen Syria stores". Daily Sabah. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "About Us". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "About Us". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "History". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "How LC Waikiki Made a Turkish Sheepherder Super Rich". Bloomberg. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "About Us". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ Akcan, Burçe; Kazaz, Arzu (2022). "Deneyimsel Pazarlama Stratejisi Olarak Oynanabilir Reklamlar". Yeni Medya. 2022 (12): 53–78. doi:10.55609/yenimedya.1102659. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "LC Waikiki opens 1,000th store in Kyiv" (Press release). PR Newswire. 26 February 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "About Us". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "Turkish clothing giant LCW hints at potential to reopen Syria stores". Daily Sabah. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "Turkish clothing giant LCW hints at potential to reopen Syria stores". Daily Sabah. 23 December 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ Preuss, Simone (3 January 2021). "LC Waikiki opens first store in Uganda, plans further expansion in Africa". FashionUnited. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "Perú: LC Waikiki llega al centro comercial Plaza Norte". Perú Retail. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "Turkish retail giant LC Waikiki will launch in Chile". InvestChile. 8 November 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "lcwaikiki.com: eCommerce revenue analytics". ECDB. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
- ^ "About Us – Shareholders". LC Waikiki Corporate. Retrieved 9 August 2025.