Italian fashion house Fendi will increase its stores from 16 to 20 in China by the end of 2012, with plans of an image makeover that will focus on service and unique products, sources reported.

Instead of launching mega stores, Fendi’s new shops will be no more than 6,500 sq ft in tier-one and tier-two cities, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shenyang and Guangzhou.

According to the company’s chief executive officer Michael Burke, the first plan for Asia is an “image makeover”, that will change the brand from just “a leather goods company” to one that offers a range of unique luxury products with superior customer service that is anchored in Fendi’s history and craftsmanship.

One initiative is “Fatto a Mano” which creates handmade items through the collaboration of a Fendi craftsman and an outside designer working in store in full view of the public, according to Burke.