Triumph enlarges retail network

Lingerie and shapewear company Triumph International (Triumph), Bad Zurzach announces that it will considerably expand its retail activities in Italy.

Triumph will open 10 new stores by June 2012; five of them in the metropolitan areas of Rome and Milan. Following this move, Triumph will operate 35 Triumph Stores in the important and competitive Italian market.

The highlight of the Milan openings is the 220 square meters flagship store at Milan’s prestigious Via Dante, showcasing the entire world of Triumph’s international brands which include Triumph core label, Triumph Essence, Valisère, and sloggi.

The brand land opened on 29 November 2011 to a group of 400 illustrious guests from Italian fashion, business and media; among them internationally acclaimed Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta.

This initiative follows Triumph’s recent acquisition of local Chilean lingerie retailer, Coty’s, in April, 2011. In addition to Triumph’s leading presence in the wholesale channel, the acquisition of Coty’s and their 22 multi-brand retail stores places Triumph in the market leader position in the Chilean lingerie retail channel.

Triumph’s distribution strategy follows a flexible multi channel approach, combining wholesale, retail, and e-commerce. The continuously growing retail sector includes mono- and multi label formats, both owned or operated in partner/franchise systems. Regionally, Triumph focuses on markets with high fashion awareness, such as Italy and Japan, and fast developing markets such as China, India, or Russia.

“It’s Triumph’s mission to be the iconic global leader in alluring lingerie and shapewear,” said Todd Overmyer, Triumph’s Global Head of Retail.

“Controlled distribution via Triumph Stores and own multi label formats offers an ideal way to build our brand equity and to improve the consumer shopping experience. Our stores are an excellent platform to showcase new labels such as Triumph Essence – The Luxury Collection or key concepts such as Triumph Shape Sensation.”

Triumph’s wholesale partners clearly profit from the additional brand presence. David Hills, Head of Store Operations Western Markets, said: “Market experience proves that whenever we open a new Triumph Store, both brand equity and turnover for existing accounts and sales points in that region profit – this is true across all sales channels.”

Triumph will continue to open new retail outlets throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. “We look for prime locations in metropolis and medium-sized cities in our focus regions,” added Hills.

Currently, there are 2,100 Triumph Stores in 35 countries: more than 800 owned and operated, 450 outlets run by franchisees, and 850 partner stores (multi label with a majority of Triumph brands). In addition to that, Triumph has 40,000 wholesale partners. Triumph e-stores have recently opened in France, Germany and the United Kingdom and will be followed by openings in further European countries.  Triumph International is one of the world’s largest underwear manufacturers. The company enjoys a presence in over 120 countries with its core brands Triumph, sloggi, Valisère and HOM. Triumph employs more than 36,500 people and achieves a turnover of CHF 2.2 billion (2010).