Opening a New Look store in Malta was "the obvious choice" and the time was ripe, according to group franchise managing director Alex Cara, who was present for the launch of the UK fashion brand at The Point last week.

It was "about time" - both from a personal and a professional point of view. In fact, Mr Cara's connection with the island is not only based on business, but he also has strong emotional ties, having worked in the local retail industry 16 years ago.

"I had just met my wife; it was pre-internet times, and she has so many letters from me about Malta back then. I have noticed massive changes for the better since. It has taken me that long to return and it was high time I did," he said.

Setting up shop in Malta was based on a combination of factors, including the strong link its retail landscape has with the UK and British brands, as well as the massive influx of British tourists to the island.

But Malta's Mediterranean and European feel - and the love for fashion and outdoor life that goes with it - was another force of attraction, Mr Cara highlighted.

The opening of The Point in Sliema offered a "great opportunity" for a presence in Malta, although New Look is also considering other locations in Valletta and Gozo for more stand-alone stores.

"There is definitely room for expansion and it is rational to open another two shops on the island and one on Gozo," Mr Cara confirmed, having done some scouting during his long-awaited return last week.

The timing was simply right - despite the fact that aftershocks from the financial crisis are still being felt.

"For every recession, opportunities for growth always exist, and we very much look at the glass as half full, as opposed to being half empty," Mr Cara maintained.

In other markets, rentals have frozen and New Look's partners have enjoyed reductions, while the smaller brands have gone under, allowing room for expansion.

During a crisis, consumers tend to trade down, meaning New Look benefitted also because it is a "fashion value offer" and has gained a whole new clientele.

In the UK, New Look has grown from strength to strength year on year in terms of sales, operating income and market share. It is the number one for footwear and denim sales volume.

"We have just ended a phenomenal fiscal year," Mr Cara said. "We are definitely seeing that the recession has meant many opportunities and benefits for us."

His lesson in times of "crisis" is: "Do not to panic... as long as you keep strong control over your operating costs, keep true to the brand, keep your team totally motivated and not lose your head and start firing staff left, right and centre."

In fact, New Look has opened imposing premises just off London's Oxford Street and is busy recruiting fresh talent.

The opening of the store in Malta comes hot on the heels of major cities, including Singapore - a strategic decision to have a strong presence at the gateway to the Far East. But even Malta was an "opportunistic" choice, Mr Cara said.

New Look "secured the right partner" - Hudson Holdings - for the franchise agreement, following talks with a number of local candidates since 2007.

"It was a lengthy process and it felt good to have so many companies wanting the brand," Mr Cara said.

"We have a very stringent, criteria-based process we go through for any kind of partner, with lots of reference checking. Hudson has a proven track record and works with other global brands. We felt its hunger was a lot stronger, coupled with the fact that it has a strong presence in North Africa, which could be interesting in the future," Mr Cara said.

"The right partner is not necessarily the one with the biggest bank account, or the biggest infrastructure. It is more about the gut feeling at the end of the day; it's like a marriage."

New Look opened to massive queues of shoppers last week - a phenomenon that could have been expected, judging from the accumulation of 7,500 members on its Facebook page in the run-up, and the fact that Maltese online shoppers had already been showing a keen interest in the brand.

Malta is continuously among the top three in terms of New Look's e-commerce sales in 18 countries worldwide, with Maltese online shoppers having the larger baskets.

Mr Cara does not feel virtual and real shopping threaten each other, but that they go hand in hand, with online shopping enhancing the brand.

The fact that the Malta store was keeping the same price tags as the UK was considered to be a "huge step" in that few local companies did that, he said. "It is useless selling a value product if it is double the price! It would no longer be our proposition."

The outlet, spread over 10,000 square feet and originally earmarked to be the cinema of the mall, compares well with the flagship London stores. It was completed in record time - five weeks from shell form.

About 32,000 pieces were brought out on to the shop floor when it opened and, being all about fast fashion, the items will not be replenished. They are rotated at an established rate and New Look will not be changing its speed and tactics for Malta.

After all, Mr Cara maintains that Malta is by no means too small a market for New Look.

"We have considered the establishment and growth of the other UK brands here and there is clearly an appetite and a need for them."