owners Hornburg Calypso.

The store, which boasts popular stores in more than 100 countries, will open on Reid Street in April.

Benetton was previously operated on Front Street by Ms. Kim Williams, formerly Kim Hollis, from 1986 to 1991.

The initiative to reopen Benetton is the brainchild of Mr. Pierre-Francois Dutoya, general manager of Hornburg Calypso, together with one of the store's buyer's Ms Cathy Lombardi.

The store will be located in the two-storey building, that previously housed Gloria Mark's House of Linen, and temporarily houses La Corte, hair and beauty salon. The building, next door to A.S. Coopers & Son, is owned by the Frith family.

Benetton, founded in 1965 in Italy, has diversified to withstand the strain of the recent recessions, and now offers children's clothes, shoes and accessories, an upmarket collection called Sisley, as well as men and women's range of clothing.

It is no longer focuses solely on colourful knitwear.

Hornburg Calypso is owned by Mr. John and Mrs. Polly Hornburg. Frenchman Mr.

Dutoya is married to Mr. and Mrs. Hornburg's daughter, Suzannah, a buyer at Hornburg Calypso.

The Bermuda store began discussions with Benetton in November last year, and from the outset has planned the $220,000 decoration and renovation for the Reid Street site with Benetton's guidelines in mind.

The latest store design has been created by Italian architects Afra and Tobia Scarpa with a view to preserving a uniform, consistent store image worldwide.

Prices will be competitive with US prices, said Ms Lombardi -- Benetton suggest retail prices.

Benetton will successfully compete with rival stores in Bermuda with international names such as Stefanel and Cotton Giny, said Ms Lombardi: "None of the others offer so many different looks,'' she said.

"The store will be designed so that the clothes have instant eye appeal,'' The opening of Benetton will create four new jobs as well as seasonal part-time work.

The Hornburg Calypso group of stores have been a state of change in recent months.

Its branch within the Hamilton Princess hotel will be renovated this year, and reopen with a new look on March 15. The Southampton Princess Calypso branch had a facelift last year, which cost $75,000. "Our gross of selling was beyond our expectations as a result of the upgraded image,'' said Mr. Dutoya.

Calypso also opened a branch within the Sonesta Beach Hotel on August 15, 1993.

He revealed that Calypso is also in negotiations to open a store in the new shopping precinct in Dockyard.