Dive Brief:

• Women’s fashion brand Hobbs is opening in-store boutiques at five U.S. Bloomingdale's department stores on the east coast, including in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The retailer opened its U.S. website last year.

• The stores, a favorite of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, joins U.K. retailers Burberry and Topshop in the U.S. and hopes to see similar success.

• The company has struggled of late, with disappointing holiday sales, and says that its U.S. expansion, plus new lower price points and some changes in product lines, will be key to its turnaround.

Dive Insight:

While retailers like J.Crew are pinning financial hopes on their overseas expansion, British retailer Hobbs is hoping to find success in the U.S. Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, lends magic to the brands she favors, much like first lady Michelle Obama does here, and Hobbs is notably one of her favorites. Topshop has seen success here, as has Burberry for years. It remains to be seen whether Hobbs can conquer the colonies.