Fashion brand Esprit is returning to North America, having signed a lease on a new creative headquarters in New York City.

The 40,000 sq ft space will house the brand’s global design, branding, creative and marketing offices, with around 120 employees set to move there by the end of 2023.

While Esprit was founded in California in the 1960s, it left North America in 2011, with its operational headquarters remaining in Hong Kong. Now, the company wants to re-establish itself as a true American brand and will open flagships in New York and Los Angeles later this year, as well as additional stores in Miami, Vancouver and Toronto.

As part of the move, Esprit has poured resources into understanding the US market, conducting consumer research and adjusting the quality of its fabrics, clothing fit and prices. The company has also decided to concentrate on its hero products and foundational products, rather than chasing trends.

The company’s decision come to the US market is to capture a premium positioning into the space that has been left by the likes of J.Crew and Banana Republic.