Diesel

Diesel S.p.A. is an Italian design company. It is best known for luxury, pret-a-porter clothing aimed at the young adult market. The company is owned by its founder Renzo Rosso, and is based in the former Laverda building area in Breganze, northern Italy.

History

The company was founded by Renzo Rosso in 1978. Diesel's milestone years include 1985, 1988 the hiring straight out of fashion college of ex-head designer and Creative Director Wilbert Das, 1991 (beginning of the international marketing strategy) and 1996 (opening of Diesel's first flagship store on New York City's Lexington Avenue). Renzo said that they learnt marketing from the US, creativity from Italy and systems from Germany.

In February 2007, the company launched a major intimates and beachwear division for men and women that is carried in the retail and department stores. Diesel Black Gold was announced in November 2007. The company has around 2,200 employees in 18 subsidiaries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Its products are available in 5000 retail outlets, of which 300 are Diesel-branded stores. Annual sales were approximately €1.2 billion in 2005, and €1.3 billion in 2009. Revenue is largely derived from denim sales, but also extremely successful and influential ranges of accessories and children's wear - Diesel Kid. Production of denim jeans is based mainly in Italy. The biggest store is located in Milan, Italy.

Brands

For over 20 years all Diesel collections, including licensed products, were made under the Creative Direction of Wilbert Das. Currently the principal lines are Diesel, the main line, and Diesel Black Gold, a new collection launched in 2007 in the casual-luxury segment. The children's collection is called Diesel Kid. Diesel Denim Gallery offers limited edition denim sold in innovative art-gallery-like spaces. Diesel also offers collections of footwear, intimate (underwear), and bags. Diesel's licensed collections are eyewear (made with Safilo), jewelry and watches (Fossil), and fragrances (L'Oréal). L'Oreal and Diesel launched Fuel for Life (for him and for her) in the fall of 2007. A mini-collection for Adidas was launched in 2008 called Adidas Originals Denim by Diesel. The underwear license is held by the US company Mast Industries Inc., who also make lingerie for Victoria's Secret. A new collaboration with AGV has seen the launch of a Helmet. Recently Diesel Home, thanks to collaborations with Moroso nd Foscarini has been launched in the market.

The Diesel company has acquired stakes in the brands Viktor & Rolf, Maison Martin Margiela and DSquared2.

Creative Direction

Diesel's Creative Director and head designer is Wilbert Das who has worked for Diesel since 1988. Wilbert started as a designer on the Male, Accessories, Leather, and Kids lines. He rose quickly to head the style office and creative areas of Diesel, and in 1993 was given the official title of Creative Director, with responsibilities ranging from directing all product design as well as all communication campaigns. From clothing and accessory design to advertising, new media, merchandising, retail and interior design (:including stores, showrooms, offices, hotels), planning of fashion shows and events, as well as developing new brand extensions such as houseware, furniture and even automobiles. Literally all aspects of the Diesel brand’s style and image fell under Wilbert’s responsibility.

Wilbert Das left Diesel in late 2009 amid rumors of irreconcilable differences with CEO Rosso over the future direction of the company. In 2010 the new creative direction was given to the French fashion founder of WAD Magazine (We Are Different), Bruno Collin.

Marketing

In recent years, the company has driven its attention to endorsing young creativity by sponsoring several projects such as the Diesel-U-Music Contest. Diesel has been the founding partner of International Talent Support in its various forms. Diesel has also offered sponsorship and creative contribution to the 2006 edition of Vienna's Life Ball AIDS charity, as well as the Sundance Film Festival.

Diesel's innovative approach to marketing has let it to be perhaps the first clothing company to market their clothing in video games, and has developed innovative approaches to fashion shows.

In December 2008, Diesel announced a marketing partnership with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, to sell their designs in Sony's virtual world, Playstation Home with the majority of the proceeds going to the OTBF Only The Brave Foundation (Diesel's charitable arm). From January to September 2008, Diesel spent $5.8 million on U.S. advertising, according to TNS Media Intelligence.

A November 2009 New York Post article mentions that "the CEO of the fashion house's US division, Steve Birkhold, has resigned to join a rival firm." According to the Post, Birkhold was allegedly attempting to secure deals to expand the Diesel brand into U.S. chain stores like Macy's, while Diesel's Italy execs feared such a move would dilute the brand's image.

In 2010 from its headquarters in Breganze, it directly manages 18 subsidiaries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. It is now present in more than 80 countries with 5,000 points of sale, including more than 400 company owned stores. Diesel is part of the holding Only the Brave, which also incorporates 55DSL (a street and urban wear brand); Staff International (an Italian company that manufactures and distributes clothing for brands such as Diesel Denim Gallery, Maison Martin Margiela, DSquared2, Vivienne Westwood, Viktor & Rolf and Marc Jacobs Menswear); and controlling stakes in Maison Martin Margiela and Viktor and Rolf.

Official Site

Diesel

Dorothy Perkins

Dorothy Perkins also known as 'Dotty P' whose trading name was inspired by a rambler rose of the same name, is a large British women's clothing retailer, active mostly in the United Kingdom.

History

Founded in 1909 under the name H. P. Newman, it changed its trading name to Dorothy Perkins in 1919. In the 1960s, Dorothy Perkins was controlled by the Farmer family, who used to own Winster Hosiery. Staff in the branches could expect regular visits from Alan Farmer, whose picture was printed in a booklet handed to new employees. Best known for its lingerie, tights, and sleepwear collections, its other clothes had a hard time competing with the more trendy Lewis Separates, now owned by River Island Clothing Company Ltd, and Peter Robinson.

One newspaper advertisement for management trainees asked: 'Will curls come in? Will maxis make it?' However, the stores never really got to grips with sixties boutique culture. Author Margret Geraghty who worked there for a while in the late sixties remembers that all the sales staff had to wear nylon uniforms: 'They were cerise with a zip up the front. Forget dolly birds. They looked more like canteen assistants.' The exception was the store manageress, who was permitted to wear her own clothes.

The company ran management trainee courses at its head office in Bracknell, Berkshire, where prospective manageresses were taught 'introduction', a mild pressure-selling technique designed to entice customers into buying more than they'd intended. In 1973, British Land bought Dorothy Perkins, and Group Managing Director David Roxburgh took over the company. Dorothy Perkins is now owned by the Arcadia Group. It has over 600 stores nationwide.

Today

Dorothy Perkins product lines include Dresses, Jersey Tops, Knitwear, Coats, Tailoring, Denim, Shoes, Accessories, Jewellery, Lingerie, Maternity, Petite and Tall. Dorothy Perkins offer sizes 6-22 in most lines and have short, regular and long leg in most of their trousers. In shoes they offer UK sizes 3-8, and also 9 in some styles.

The company has an account card which offers incentive and reward schemes to customers, including vouchers for customers on their birthday and several 20% off VIP days per year. Credit is provided by Santander UK. The card can be used at any store within The Seven Network.

Dorothy Perkins support The Woodland Trust and have raised enough to plant nearly 100,000 trees since May 2007, through selling limited edition clothing ranges.

Arcadia has an acclaimed training programme, which encourages employees to expand their responsibilities and knowledge of company and business affairs. Financial incentives are offered to employees to take advantage of this programme, which comprises three levels; Standard Level, Advanced Level and Top Level.

Official Website

Dorothy Perkins

Etam

Etam UK was a British women's, retail clothing brand owned by the French firm Etam Development.

History

The brand included a subsidiary called Tammy which specialized in clothing for girls in their early teens. Etam's and Tammy had dedicated retail outlets and some joint retail locations as well. In 2005 the Etam and Tammy brands were purchased by the Arcadia Group; the parent company of BHS. In September, a revised Tammy line of clothing was introduced within many BHS stores. In 2010, Tammy brand clothing was also available in selected Arcadia locations. Some of the retail sites previously occupied by Etam/Tammy were retained by Arcadia and transferred to other Arcadia brands.

 

Official Site

Etam

Karen Millen

Karen Millen is an Icelandic owned women’s designer clothing brand, specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. Karen Millen stores are found throughout the United Kingdom, America, Austria, Denmark, Norway the Republic of Ireland and many other European countries.

History

The company was founded in 1981 when Karen Millen partnered with Kevin Stanford. With a loan of just £100, the pair bought one thousand metres of white cotton and began manufacturing and selling white shirts to their friends. A party plan network followed and in 1983 they opened their first store in Kent, which was followed a few years later by branches in Tunbridge Wells, Brighton, Guildford and London.

The brand continued to expand throughout the Nineties when it was acquired in June 2004 by Mosaic Fashions. In 2009 Mosaic Fashions ceased trading and the brand now operates as part of Aurora Fashions.

Operations

Creative Director Gemma Metheringham oversees twelve designers, producing two main collections and two transitional collections each season.

Karen Millen trades from 84 standalone stores and 46 concessions in the UK and Ireland. Internationally, Karen Millen trades from 16 company owned stores and 57 franchise stores in 23 countries.

In the United States, Karen Millen has boutiques in Atlanta, Boston, Bellevue, Washington, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Short Hills, Tysons Corner, Natick, San Diego and Washington, D.C.. In March 2008 the company launched a new flagship store in New York at 114 Prince Street.

Official Site

Karen Millen

Esprit

Esprit Holdings Limited is a publicly owned manufacturer of apparel, footwear, accessories, jewellery and housewares under the Esprit label. The company is headquartered in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Ratingen (near Düsseldorf), Germany. In the 2007–2008 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited generated a worldwide sales of around EUR 3.25 billion (as of 30.06.2008). Esprit operates more than 770 retail stores worldwide and distributes products to more than 15,150 wholesale locations around the globe. Esprit has more than 1.1 million square meters of retail space in 40 countries.

The ESPRIT brand name is licensed to other manufacturers. In addition, the group owns the Red Earth cosmetics brand.

The Esprit flagship stores feature both current Esprit fashion lines and licensee products under one roof. Esprit has an architecture department that is responsible for the worldwide design of its stores.

In September 27, 2011 Esprit Holdings Ltd. valued at just $1.4 billion or loss more than 90 percent from a $20 billion company 4 years ago, but according to Credit Suisse, Esprit's brand is valued at $3.4 billion.

History

The first joint fashion line established by Susie and Doug Tompkins was sold from a VW bus and their headquarters was the Tompkins’ apartment in San Francisco. Susie assumed the creative and Doug Tompkins the financial role in the business.

In 1979, the Esprit logo was developed by John Casado.

The 1980s saw the introduction of the “Real People Campaign”, which was shot by photographer Oliviero Toscani. Esprit was able to recruit architects and designers for its projects, starting with Italian Ettore Sottsass, who developed the first Esprit Europe Headquarters in Düsseldorf. He established the overall concept of the stores in the style of the Memphis design movement.

Additional architects and designers include Aldo Cibic, Antonio Citterio, Norman Foster and Shigeru Uchida, who designed flagship stores in various countries, from the architecture to the interior design. In 2006, the Esprit Academy, an initiative for the promotion of creative young design talent, held an architecture competition for the design of a new global look for all Esprit stores.

Michael Ying, stepped down as executive director in 2002 and resigned as the chairman in 2006.

In February 2012 Esprit announced that it will close all retail stores in North America because they haven't been competitive in this market and have been losing money.

In June 13 2012, Ronald van der Vis has resigned as Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer.

In June 14 2012, Hans-Joachim Koerber resigned as the chairman of Espirit.

Product lines

Esprit splits its products into organizational divisions, which act as independent business units.

    Women Casual – sporty and fashionable indoor and outdoor styles

    Men Casual – uncomplicated sportswear with a high wearing comfort

    Women Collection – high-quality, feminine business looks

    Men Collection – elegant, trend-oriented business fashion

    de.corp Esprit Urban Casual – young, urban and feminine, addresses 18 to 25-year-old female customers who are in search of a casual, urban look

    Esprit Kids – current, child-oriented trends (0 to 7 years old)

    Esprit Sports – skiwear, fitness fashion and streetwear for women, men and kids that harmoniously combines fashion and function

    Accessories – bags, leather and textile accessories for men and women

    Shoes – women’s, men’s and children’s shoes from fashionable to classic, from leather to nylon

    Bodywear – day and night underwear, as well as swimwear for men, women and kids

In 1998, the young range edc by Esprit was founded. The range for girls from 14 to 24 years brings out 12 monthly basis new product lines a year. Based on the success and growth of edc by Esprit, edc men was established in 2002. The edc portfolio is completed by its own shoes, accessories and bodywear ranges, as well as edc licensed products.

    edc by Esprit – very trendy instant range for 14 to 24-year-old girls

    edc men – cosmopolitan trends for young, fashion-conscious boys

    edc accessories – trendy bags, leather and textile accessories for girls and boys

    edc shoes – shoes that match the trends of edc by Esprit and edc men

    edc bodywear – trendy underwear for an individual look

    edc youth by Esprit – brand new styles for little rebels between 8 and 14

Since 2007, edc by Esprit has been an independent brand with its own team.

Since 1990, Esprit has emphasized expansion through licensees. More than 30 license holders include Coty/Lancaster (scents) and Falke (socks and stockings). Under the name “Esprit timewear + jewel”, Egana Holdings Ltd. produces watches and jewellery. There are plans to further expand the license business worldwide.

Esprit has focused on two sectors: Esprit home with a selection of furniture, carpets, wallpaper, lighting, living accessories, home textiles and exclusive bathrooms; and the kids’ world that ranges from maternity wear to toys and buggies to nursery furniture.

Company

In the 2007/2008 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited reported worldwide sales of EUR 3.25 billion. Shares of Esprit Holdings Limited are traded on the Hong Kong stock market and are included in the Hang Seng Index, in the MCSI Index Hong Kong, as well as in the FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong, S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index and S&P Asia 50 Index.

The Group operates more than 835 directly managed retail stores worldwide and distributes its products via more than 15,150 wholesale locations around the globe. The company has more than 1.1 million square metres of sales area in more than 40 countries.

Its shares are a component of the following stock market indices:

    Hang Seng Index

    Morgan Stanley's MSCI Hong Kong

    FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong

    S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index

    S&P Asia 50

Milestones

The 1960s

    1968, San Francisco: Susie and Doug Tompkins begin to sell the first fashion line from the trunk of their estate car

The 1970s

    1971, Hong Kong: The Esprit Far East Group is born when Susie and Doug Tompkins meet Michael Ying, the former Group Chairman and Shareholder of Esprit

    San Francisco: The company is founded and registered under the name of Esprit de Corp.

    1976, Düsseldorf: Esprit starts out in Germany under the name Esprit de Corp. with young sportswear. CEO Jürgen Friedrich establishes the Esprit European Headquarters in Düsseldorf

    1978, San Francisco: For the first time, company turnover exceeds 100 million US dollars. Independent Esprit companies are founded in Germany and Hong Kong

    New York: John Casado designs the present Esprit logo with the stencil lettering

The 1980s

    1986, Cologne: Esprit opens its first German store in Cologne.

    1989, San Francisco: The Japanese art publisher Robundo publishes “Esprit, the Comprehensive Design Principle”, the corporate design manual

The 1990s

    1993, Hong Kong: Esprit Holdings Ltd is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange

    1995, New York: The Esprit licences Esprit eyewear, timewear, bath+bed, socks+tights

    1998, Düsseldorf: Launch of the young line edc by Esprit

2000 to date

    2000, Hong Kong: Esprit Holdings Ltd is among the shares listed in the Morgan Stanley MSCI Hong Kong Index

    2003, New York: Esprit Holdings Ltd completely buys back the American brand rights and holds 100 per cent worldwide ownership of their brand

    Düsseldorf: Heinz Krogner is appointed Deputy Chairman and Group CEO of Esprit Holdings Ltd. A global strategy for Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, USA and Canada is passed – the bundling of global functions in wholesale, retail, licenses, visual, image and design.

    Ratingen: The Company moves into the Global Business Headquarters Ratingen

    2004, Ratingen: An exhibition is held in honour of Ettore Sottsass at the Global Business Headquarters. The designer and founder of the Memphis style shaped the design and the architecture of the Esprit stores and showrooms worldwide

    2005, London: Esprit establishes the first Esprit Academy for the promotion of young junior talents from various fields. This is kicked off by cooperation with the London School of Fashion

    Hong Kong: Esprit appoints Thomas Grote President Esprit Brand

    2007, Hong Kong: Heinz Krogner is appointed Chairman and Group CEO

    Ratingen: edc by Esprit becomes an independent brand with an independent team and its own strategy. edc by Esprit mono-brand stores present the complete edc product range

    Berlin/Ratingen: MTV Networks International and edc by Esprit announce the extensive partnership with MTV Europe Music Awards 2007

    Berlin: Esprit sponsors the United Nations photo exhibitions “Chasing the dream”

    2008, Ratingen: Esprit launches the new label de.corp Esprit Urban Casual young, urban and feminine

    From 2008, India: Esprit is supporting a family education project in India for SOS Children's Village

Official Site 

Esprit

La Senza

La Senza Corporation is a Canadian fashion retailer based in Dorval, Quebec, Canada, which sells lingerie and intimate apparel. The La Senza brand is currently owned by Limited Brands.

History

Since its first store opened in 1990, the company has grown to include more than 300 stores in Canada. A further 487 stores under the La Senza brand operate in 45 other countries worldwide via licensing, franchise, and cooperation agreements. La Senza is wholly owned by Limited Brands of Columbus, Ohio.

La Senza's products focus on lingerie and nightwear but also include loungewear, daywear, and accessories. The concept is similar to that of Victoria's Secret, which is also owned by the Limited Brands Corporation.

UK & Ireland

Businessman Theo Paphitis bought the United Kingdom and Ireland franchise, called La Senza UK, and began expanding it, eventually with sub-franchises in parts of the European Union. In July 2006 Paphitis sold the company to private equity company Lion Capital, for a reported £100m. Paphitis left the board and is no longer a shareholder,and in the Spring of 2011 set up the new lingerie firm Boux Avenue.

On 23 December 2011 La Senza UK filed for administration citing "trading conditions" as one of the conditions for closure. The company stated that it had 2,600 UK staff at 146 stores and 18 concessions, and announced plans to close 80 stores.

On the 9th of January 2012, Kuwait based international retail franchise operator Alshaya announced it had reached agreement to take control of much of the ongoing La Senza business in the UK. Under an agreement with KPMG, administrators to La Senza UK, Alshaya UK Limited acquired exclusive franchise rights for the La Senza brand in the UK for an undisclosed sum. Alshaya said it would retain 60 stores, securing around 1,100 jobs while ensuring the continuation of a strong and popular brand on the UK high street. The deal and subsequent plans for the business, which include new product collections and store redesigns, represents a planned investment of around £100m in the UK retail sector over the next two years by Alshaya.

Labels

Similar to most fashion brands, La Senza owns and operates other labels, including La Senza Girl clothing stores for teenagers as well as clothing for younger children, La Senza Express stores for bras and panties, and La Senza Spirit for activewear.

Lola and Coco

La Senza has recently launched a line called Lola and Coco by La Senza that is aimed at high school and university students, much like Pink by Victoria's Secret. Beauty by Victoria's Secret was available but was discontinued 1 March 2010 in favour of La Senza Beauty.

Robin Antin

In 2008, the creator of The Pussycat Dolls, Robin Antin, was asked to design a Pussycat Doll-inspired lingerie collection for the La Senza brand. The collection uses luxurious fabrics imported from Italy and Spain. The line ranges from girly and flirtatious to sexy and glamorous intimate apparel. Antin says, "The words for me on this collection are flirtatious, fashion, and fun!"

Advertising

Similar to Victoria's Secret, La Senza uses high profiled fashion models to endorse their product. Models such as Lauren Gold, Petra Němcová, Isabeli Fontana, Bianca Balti, Yamila Díaz, Doutzen Kroes, Daniela Pestova, Sophie Anderton, Rebecca Romijn, Caroline Winberg, Emma Heming, Jessica Stam, Maria Sokolovski, and Niclyn Rendall have been featured in an array of campaigns. La Senza does not limit their advertising to high fashion models and often uses high profile celebrities to endorse their brand. Previous celebrities to endorse the brand include Strictly Come Dancing's Tess Daly, Ex Hollyoaks actress, Gemma Atkinson, and English footballer Gary Lineker's wife and commercial print model, Danielle Lineker.

Controversy

La Senza Girl

In 2005, La Senza has provoked controversy after launching the La Senza Girl brand, which is aimed towards 5-12 year old girls. Outdoor store signage advertising "La Senza Girl" as a "store in a store" was eventually added to many stores. Parents and critics claim that the line sexualizes children, despite the fact the line was designed to offer young girls "coverage" before they are ready for a training bra.

David Davies, Conservative MP for Monmouth, Wales UK, claimed La Senza was "willing to make profits at the expense of public morality but yet we allow things like porn, because that is OK. If you sexualise children at a young age, they tend to have children at a young age, often in unstable circumstances where they are unable to take care of the child in a responsible way."

La Senza released a statement denying that they were sexualising children and that their intentions were to create fun and colourful underwear for children. The outdoor store signage for "La Senza Girl" was removed from stores by 2011. It is unclear whether or not the brand is still being sold, but it is no longer advertised.

Official Site

La Senza

Miss Selfridge

Miss Selfridge is a nationwide UK high street store which began as the young fashion section of Selfridges department store in London in 1966. Miss Selfridge got its name when Charles Clore, the owner of Selfridges at the time, saw a window display in the Bonwit Teller store in New York which showed "Miss Bonwit" dresses aimed specifically at teenagers.

History

By 1967 Miss Selfridge had concessions throughout the country within department stores, and by 1969 there were some independent branches on the high street.

The first of Miss Selfridge's mannequins were based on sixties icon and model Twiggy, and the first dresses were paper dresses designed to be worn once and then thrown away, by Sylvia Ayton and Zandra Rhodes. Couturier Pierre Cardin was also commissioned by Miss Selfridge to design four exclusive collections a year.

Ownership

In July 1999 Arcadia Group, which is owned by Sir Philip Green, acquired Miss Selfridge, along with Wallis and Outfit, from Sears plc. Arcadia Group also includes Topshop, British Home Stores, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Burton, and Topman.

Advertising and promotion

Miss Selfridge was one of the first retailers to use Kate Moss in their campaigns and has used other successful models and actresses such as Naomi Campbell, Yasmin le Bon, Tess Daly, Saffron Burrows and Nicollette Sheridan before they found major success.

In 2006, to celebrate its 40th year of business, Miss Selfridge relaunched limited edition make up palettes containing some of the most successful products from the "Kiss and Make Up" make up range, which is now discontinued.

A recent collaboration with Bella Freud in 2005 was short lived.

Miss Selfridge also sponsored the Victoria and Albert Museum's 1960s fashion exhibition from 6 June 2006 - 25 February 2007.

In April 2010, Miss Selfridge launched the Gossip Girl Collection in which they had worked with Eric Damon, the stylist of the show Gossip Girl, to create a line of 8 dresses based on the four main female characters.

Official Site

Miss Selfridge