---
title: "Global Franchise award winner interview: Johan Isacson, Lindex"
url: https://burnaze.com/article/125699e9-9f26-4e9e-ba47-fc99990fac3f
source: "Global Franchise"
original_url: https://www.global-franchise.com/news/global-franchise-award-winner-interview-johan-isacson-lindex
author: "Amanda Peters"
category: "Retail"
industry: "Retail"
published: 2020-05-25T13:00:00.000Z
modified: 2026-10-31T16:35:48.936Z
image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1450101499163-c8848c66ca85?w=1600&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop
---

# Global Franchise award winner interview: Johan Isacson, Lindex

**TL;DR:** Lindex, a Swedish fashion retailer, has expanded to 460 stores in 18 markets through its international franchise program launched in 2008. The brand offers various concepts within womenswear, kidswear, lingerie, and cosmetics, and has collaborations with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon.

*By Amanda Peters, originally published in Global Franchise on 2020-05-25. [Read the original](https://www.global-franchise.com/news/global-franchise-award-winner-interview-johan-isacson-lindex).*

## Story

Lindex was founded in Sweden in 1954 and was initially launched as a lingerie company, but over the years has added women’s, kidswear and beauty products to the mix. Following significant growth in Scandinavia, the brand launched its international franchise program in 2008 and has expanded to 460 stores in 18 markets, boasting collaborations with celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon.

**JI:** Lindex is one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers, offering great quality and affordable fashion for the fashion savvy and conscious female. We offer several different concepts within womenswear, kidswear, lingerie and cosmetics. Lindex has a sustainability promise with clear goals – they are to make a difference for future generations by empowering women, respecting the planet and ensuring human rights.

**JI:** The culture within our company, our 5,000 dedicated colleagues and our enthusiastic franchise partners, who all work together to deliver consistency and strength across all areas of Lindex.

**JI:** It’s an honor to receive an award like this, especially when it’s handed over from industry experts and we were in competition on a global level with such worthy nominees. It’s seen as recognition for everyone working at Lindex and reflects many years of hard work.

**JI:** Lindex has around 460 stores in 18 markets today, of which nine markets are operated by franchise partners. Our online sales are now worldwide, operating through third-party partnerships, as well as market online platforms. Our franchise markets extend from Iceland and Denmark to Tunisia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

**JI:** We understand and respect the different cultures within each market in which we trade. We also build strong relationships with our franchise partners and do not differentiate between our partners’ businesses and Lindex corporate. The trust behind our partners and Lindex is very strong – their problems are our problems, their success is our success.

**JI:** We offer potential partners an attractive business proposition. We are aware that when a partner opens Lindex stores in a new market, it is also our responsibility to make it work. Since we launched our franchise program we are proud to say that no partner has left the company; that’s the best reference we can give.

**JI:** It depends on the market. Basic knowledge of retail is a must, but we also love to work with partners who show real passion and have a clear vision of their future.

The Best Emerging Franchise award is not judged by our entire core expert panel but by Brad Fishman of Fishman PR, who has decades of experience working with emerging brands and runs the emerging franchise-centered event, Franchise Springboard.

## Entities

- Retail (sector)
- Global Franchise (publication)
- international expansion (topic)
- sustainability (topic)
- Amanda Peters (person)
- franchise program (topic)
- fashion retail (topic)

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Originally reported by Amanda Peters, Global Franchise (https://www.global-franchise.com/news/global-franchise-award-winner-interview-johan-isacson-lindex). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/125699e9-9f26-4e9e-ba47-fc99990fac3f).