Last month The Moodie Report visited Desigual’s vast headquarters in Barcelona to preview the brand’s Autumn/Winter 16 collection, ‘It’s not the same’.
Taking inspiration from the 21st century urbanite, the A/W collection aims for warmth in both the textures and colours. Brought to life by the use of fabrics, the collection includes garments in velvet, corduroy, lace, mohair, as well as quilted pieces, flocked pieces and double-sided crepes. Garment patterns, such as geometric Ottomon motifs and Byzantine graphics, reference exotic Japanese flowers and the Far East, and aim to emphasise the waist.
The collection favours the maxi in its long and short versions, while the kimono is interpreted in multiple versions, both as a dress and outerwear. Dresses are offered with three-quarter trumpet sleeves or printed and velvet with a 60s air, or in its jumper version made with damask jacquard and pictorial motifs.
According to Desigual, batwing sleeves, flared skirts and long, flowy maxis “evoke the romanticism of an enthusiastic traveller from the seventies”. The brand’s Denim offer has been updated to show a more creative side, featuring embroidery and Hindu details. The new take on jeans includes tweed and men’s tailoring fabrics.
For outerwear, Desigual has developed a wide range of coats and jackets for wearing as a coat dress or layered with other garments, which, Desigual says, enables customers to be creative and expressive.
Speaking to The Moodie Report at Desigual’s headquarters in Barcelona, Desigual Brand Communication Director Daniel Perez explained that Desigual prides itself for not being the same as other fashion brands and for presenting an alternative to fashion trends. The brand is focusing on staying ahead by offering its customers, who seek a point of differentiation and authenticity, a fresh experience of its brand DNA. To this end, Perez added, Desigual is investing highly in preserving the soul and spirit of its products and reinterpreting them in creative ways – new patterns, fabrics, prints and silhouettes which connect to the brand’s origins and heritage to create an entirely new proposal that bears the characteristic style that has made the brand so recognisable worldwide.
“We can see this change in the brand refreshing its icons and prints; extending its Denim range, which was launched as Desigual’s first collection in 1984; working on mono-colour or bi-colour prints with a special Desigual twist; and introducing new designs for accessories, a category that takes special importance for the brand,” said Perez.
Desigual in travel retail
While in Barcelona, The Moodie Report also visited Desigual’s 320sq m store at Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Opened six years ago, the store received a facelift a year and a half ago and features menswear, womenswear, accessories and a kids’ collection. The store’s bestselling item currently is a women’s denim jacket, decorated with sequin detail. Gifting items such as bags in tins are also proving to be a big hit, the brand revealed.
In terms of promotions in the channel, Desigual Head of Travel Retail Marco Gadola said that the brand is moving away from price discounting, instead turning its attention to adding promotional value through travel retail exclusives and gifting concepts. “You will see less and less heavy discounting during the season, instead we will try to bring promotional value through different ways.
“Each season we launch a travel retail exclusive which is bringing huge visibility to the brand. It also gives a ‘wow’ experience within the duty free shop, which is something our retail partners and the airport authority look for.”
“We are producing new products geared towards the gifting category, such as bags and purses in tins,” Gadola continued. “Gifting is a big sales driver in travel retail and we bring a lot of innovation in terms of retail concepts to our partners and also passengers.”
Although Desigual recognises the importance of the gifting sector for boosting sales, the brand is, however, keen to maintain its stronghold in the ready-to-wear category. “Ready-to-wear is underdeveloped, and for women it is even more underdeveloped,” noted Gadola. “There is not much of an offer and no competition so we really know exactly what to target because it’s our speciality.”
For kids’ wear, Gadola said that brands and travel retailers are realising the potential of the category and lots of retailers are now keen to stock kids’ collections.
“The children’s category has been growing in travel retail in recent years, offering more opportunities for the kids’ fashion segment. To capitalise on this trend, and the fact that adult consumers are the ones usually purchasing for their children, we launched the ‘Big & Small’ collection in 2013, featuring adult-sized clothing and matching mini versions for kids. Our A/W 2016 includes eight feminine styles – this means our female customers can shop for both themselves and their daughters at the same time.”
Cruise ships and ferry business
Desigual’s cruise ship and ferry business has taken off in the last year, with the brand partnering with Tallink to open the first monobrand boutique on a boat, on the Silja Serenade.
Offering ready-to-wear, kids’ wear, accessories and also homewear, Gadola has hailed the success of the shop so far. “We have not just opened a shop but have created an entire brand experience on the boat,” said Gadola proudly. “We have also personalised three suites on the boat with our homewear products to create awareness and to create an activity where every room’s communication drives people to the shop.”
Gadola described the collaboration with Tallink as a “strong core marketing activity”. “We have used the entire facility available, not only the shop but the entire boat as a platform to communicate the brand and improve experience for the client.”
Besides Tallink, Desigual also has a presence with a number of other cruise ships and ferries including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise lines, Celebrity Cruises and Harding Brothers Retail. “Cruise liners and ferries are already an interesting chunk of business for us,” noted Gadola. “I believe the DNA of our products completely fits into this sales channel. Whether it is the Mediterranean, the Caribbean or the Nordics, the Desigual style and emotion that transmits to our garments perfectly fits the mind-set of a passenger on a cruise ship.”
Although it is proving to be a successful sales channel for Desigual, Gadola admitted that working on cruise ships brings challenges. “The big restriction is that the retail environment on cruise liners is very small but they are making a big effort to try to accommodate categories like ours.”
Trinity concept: converting non-shoppers into shoppers
Regarding the Trinity concept, Gadola believes that the airport and the retailer need to create an offer that comprises more than just luxury brands in order to increase the percentage of passengers who spend. “If we want to increase sales and allow 100% of the passengers to buy something, not just the small percentage that can afford luxury items, then the retail offer needs to include a mid-price range. That’s the big piece of the cake which is not being explored.”
For 2016, Gadola said the company will focus on consolidating its travel retail business.
“As a company, Desigual has conducted a thorough review of the business and begun a strategic plan to prepare for the next phase of growth, taking into consideration the needs and characteristics of each of our key markets and emerging opportunities. Travel retail will play a part in this strategy; we will keep investing in the development of travel retail exclusives and championing innovation and differentiation in all our activities – all while focusing on making women happy.”
