Desigual
 | |
| Company type | Sociedad limitada unipersonal (SLU) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | Ibiza, Spain (1984) |
| Founder | Thomas Meyer |
| Headquarters | Barcelona, Catalonia , Spain |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Clothing |
| Revenue | €963.5 million (2014) |
Number of employees | 3,563 (2013) |
| Website | www |
Desigual (Spanish: [desiˈɣwal], Catalan: [dəziˈɣwal]; meaning "unequal, uneven") is a clothing brand headquartered in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.[1] Its designs are characterised by colorful patchwork,[2] intense prints, graffiti art, asymmetry and bright colours.[3] Founded in 1984 by Swiss businessman Thomas Meyer on the island of Ibiza,[4] Desigual was managed by Manel Adell from 2002 until December 2013.[5] Manel Jadraque then became the new CEO.[6]
Desigual sells men's, women's, children's clothing, accessories and women's shoes. It achieved a 60% annual growth from 2002 to 2009, and a turnover of €250 million in 2009,[2] €440 million in 2010[7] and €560 million in 2011. In 2011 it employed 2,900 people of 72 nationalities.[8] As of 2020 it has over 500 stores and franchise locations in almost 100 countries.[9]
Concepts, partners and promotions
Desigual claims to have a philosophy based on positivity, tolerance, commitment and fun.[10] Each season the Desigual design team, comprising 25 designers, prepares a collection of over 1,000 items, including clothes and accessories, built around a unified concept.[3]
Some of the concepts used by the company are Real Life, Magic Stories, Luxury Feelings, Me&You, Better&Better, Wow, Life is Cool, All Together and Handmade.[citation needed]
In 2011 the company started collaborating with the French designer Christian Lacroix.[11] In June 2011 Desigual signed a worldwide partnership with Cirque du Soleil to develop a clothing collection named Desigual inspired by Cirque du Soleil including sixty items of clothing and accessories. The clothing will be made available at Desigual stores as well as Cirque du Soleil show boutiques.[8]
In January 2011 Desigual launched a campaign in Spain and Portugal by promising shoppers "Come in undressed and go out dressed". At the Madrid store some 200 people queued outside ready to strip down to their underwear to take advantage of the shop's winter sale offer.[12] The same campaign was repeated in June 2011 in London, Berlin, Stockholm, Madrid, Prague and New York City.[10]
Controversy
In 2014 the company received criticism for releasing a television commercial around Mother's Day which featured a woman poking a hole in a condom, displaying the words "You decide" on the screen. The company defended the ad.[13][14]
See also
- Bonds (clothing)
- Gap Inc.
- H&M
- Zara (retailer)
- Calvin Klein
- List of companies of Spain
- European Retail Round Table
References
- Notes
- ^ "Desigual Continues Worldwide Rollout". Sportswear International Magazine. 25 February 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
- ^ a b Desigual: the new Spanish phenomenon Archived 4 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b kargergallery.com, Desigual – Barcelona Spain Archived 1 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Desigual gets designer cred". Ahlan! Live.com. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
- ^ Manel Adell parts ways with Desigual
- ^ "Swiss Billionaire Meyer Forms Fortune with Kissing Party". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
- ^ ESADE, Matins ESADE with Manel Adell, CEO and partner of Desigual
- ^ a b "Cirque du Soleil and Desigual Sign a Worldwide Partnership". 1 June 2011. Archived from the original on 15 June 2011. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
- ^ Retail and Leisure International: Desigual
- ^ a b ghananation.com, 16/06/2011, Desigual gives away clothes to 100 who queued in their underwear
- ^ telegraph.co.uk, Christian Lacroix designs for Desigual
- ^ dailymail.co.uk, 3 January 2011, Bums' rush! Spanish and Portuguese shoppers arrive at Desigual outlets in their underwear... to be clothed for free
- ^ "Critican a Desigual por un 'spot' en el que una mujer pincha preservativos para quedarse embarazada". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2 May 2014.
- ^ "Desigual la vuelve a liar con un anuncio "denigrante" y "sexista"". Público (in Spanish). 3 May 2014.
External links
