Italian fashion house Versace will be opening 12 new stores in China during this summer and fall. The expansion is part of the house's strategy to enter China's booming luxury market. Versace will also redesign its boutiques in Hong Kong, on the island of Macao and on the mainland within the next few months.

Of the collective new and renovated stores, seven will be Versace boutiques while the remaining five wll be Versace Jeans Couture (JC) stores. A study by Bocconi University in Milan recently showed that Versace is the most recognized label in mainland China.

Versace will be opening its JC stores in mainland China with local partners, including the Yaohan Department store in Wuxi and the Deji Plaza in Nanjing, which will offer the complete collections of Versace JC and Versace Sport.