The deal, announced by the companies on Tuesday, will help Mango strengthen its presence in the United States, where it has 12 stores. Targeting women ages 18 to 40, Mango operates 1,300 stores worldwide. Fast fashion refers to affordable clothing collections that are designed, made and marketed quickly then replaced by a new collection.

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Each Mango store within a J.C. Penney will take up about 1,000 square foot of space and serve as the anchor for a modern merchandise area within the store.

This season, we are adding clear 1980s influences to its collection. Shoulder lines are accentuated on suit jackets and outer garments, while the silhouette becomes narrower in lower garments. Therefore, emphasis is placed on slim-fit trousers, biker trousers, leggings and pencil skirts.

The nation’s first Mango opened a month ago in central Tehran, and three visits to the store since then found the aisles crowded. The shop may "quickly" become profitable, said Jose Gomez, the retailer’s head of business development.

"It's like the promised land for retail," Gomez said in an interview. He said Mango's same-store Middle East sales growth has risen more than 10 percent for the past five years.

Mango joins Benetton SpA as one of few European clothiers in Iran, attracted by a youthful, growing population of 70 million. The Iranian market offers particular risks. Besides low oil prices, which may weigh on the economy, one of Benetton’s stores was damaged in a protest last year, and wearing a Mango mini-skirt in public is grounds for being arrested.

"In Chinese," said Rafael Ayash, country director for the U.S., "recession means opportunity." On Thursday, the company hosted a launch presentation for Adam, a new capsule collection of men's and women’s wear by designer Adam Lippes, at the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York.

The Spanish retailer entered the U.S. in 2006 and now operates 21 stores here. Around the world, there are over 1,200 Mango stores in 92 countries. So far, units are operating in Costa Mesa, Calif.; Chicago; Dallas; Los Angeles; McLean, Va.; Orlando; San Francisco, and Santa Monica. In November 2007, the company opened a flagship in SoHo at 561 Broadway. The stores are called MNG by Mango for trademark reasons in the U.S. market.

Ayash said two additional units are planned for New York City later this year. Although he would not disclose the locations, he said one is slated to open in August and the second in September. Ayash admitted Mango hasn't been immune to the recession in the U.S. "If I told you we didn't go down [in sales], I'd be lying," he said. "But we're new here and our positioning and market share are the main things for us."