Hugo Boss AG has opened a women's wear store in Milan. The German fashion house is working hard to win over female shoppers, after having made the crossover to women's apparel in 2001.

Initially the line did not do well, but the company has since then recovered. In 2005, women's wear sales rose 38 percent and chief executive Bruno Sälzer told WWD that this year should yield growth of another 40 percent to reach €135 million.

The opening of the Milan store is the fifth women's store for the company. It already has three stores in Canada, two in Toronto and one in Vancouver. The fourth boutique opened last week in Geneva. According to Sälzer, Hugo Boss will open five more women's stores this year, including one in Newport Beach in California this fall.

Approximately 62 percent of women's wear sales are at the brand's fully owned or franchised stores. Wholesale sales make up the remainder, through 750 points of sale in 62 countries.

Women's wear sales totalled €95.7 million last year, representing 7.3 percent of the company's consolidated sales of €1.31 billion. Sälzer said the goal for women's wear is to grow sales to 30 percent of total revenues by 2013.