How Hunkemöller’s new brand positioning empowers employees

Hunkemöller, this new year, is not only celebrating its rich history but also paving the way for the future. With a renewed focus on emotional connections, innovation, and empowering employees, the brand is redefining its identity.

In this interview, FashionUnited spoke with Karlijn Hendriks, Chief Human Resource Officer, and Daphne Koning, Global Talent Acquisition & Employer Branding Manager, to explore Hunkemöller's new brand positioning and the employer branding strategy that supports it.

What are the main features of the new brand positioning, and how does it differ from the previous positioning?

Karlijn: “Hunkemöller has always been a trusted partner for women and staying relevant means evolving with the times. We go back a truly impressive period in time; next year we celebrate our 140th anniversary. Our new brand positioning reflects this evolution by focusing on creating emotional connections with women, understanding their needs, moods, and aspirations. This goes beyond fashion trends—we’re designing for every stage of life, literally from the first bra to the last, with a broad product offering. Our new visual identity aims to provide a personalized journey, setting us apart in the market. This is a significant shift from our previous fashion-focused positioning to more expert-led.”

What are the key pillars of the recently introduced employer branding strategy, and how do they align with the overall brand positioning?

Karlijn: “Our employer branding aligns closely with our overall brand positioning. The key pillars are empowering people, fostering belonging, and creating a shared purpose. Just as our products support women through life’s stages, we aim to support employees during key moments in their careers. By emphasizing innovation, collaboration, and emotional resonance, we ensure that our team members feel part of something meaningful. The shift towards being expert-led also applies to our employees. We support them in their development to become experts and exceed customer expectations. ”

How is the new brand positioning translated into the way talent is attracted and retained?

Karlijn: “Our new brand positioning drives how we attract and retain talent by emphasizing the impactful role our people play in creating moments that matter. Retention strategies include personalized development programs, work-life balance, and celebrating achievements. Through continuous learning, we empower our employees to live up to the promise that we are expert-led, ensuring they feel valued and equipped to succeed. This is only possible by pro-actively listening to our employees‘ needs and wishes.”

Can you tell us more about your new Employer Branding?

Daphne: “As Karlijn said earlier, aligning Employer Branding with our overall brand positioning is essential to create a consistent and authentic identity. It ensures that the experience we promise to customers is mirrored internally for employees. This alignment helps attract like-minded talent and ensures employees feel connected to the company’s purpose. ”

What initiatives have been launched as part of the employer branding strategy?

Daphne: “For us, this began with defining our EVP—as this literally is the heart of an employer brand and tells us why people join and why they stay with Hunkemöller. Through workshops across countries and different target groups, we identified what truly resonates with our employees, leading to our new tagline: “Creating moments that matter, together.” Our new EB strategy is structured around key sub-projects, that vary from Excellent Candidate Experience to a new Social Media Strategy and a brand new Careersite that has just been launched this week! We are working globally, cross-country in these project teams, and by doing so we ensure that we will be continuously improving and innovating our recruitment initiatives.”

How does Hunkemöller differentiate itself as an employer in the competitive fashion industry?

Daphne: “We stand out because our people contribute to the special moments that we create with our customers, no matter which role in the organisation they have. We are proud of our brand and we believe in teamwork. This shared passion creates a unique sense of belonging across the organization.

We emphasize collaboration and empowerment, ensuring every employee feels part of a greater mission and providing opportunities to work in innovative environments, such as our high-tech distribution center, and alongside cutting-edge retail and digital technologies.

In short, we focus on roles that matter. We want to create that everyone has a great learning experience throughout their career. Needless to say that we also focus on belonging, well-being, and work-life balance, creating a supportive environment where employees can grow both personally and professionally. It’s this blend of expertise, teamwork, and shared purpose that sets us apart in the industry.”

What characteristics and skills is Hunkemöller looking for in potential employees?

Daphne: “Collaboration is key, along with a customer-first mindset, creativity, and an openness to innovation. We value people who embrace our values (inclusive, inspiring, responsible, in touch, playful and empowering) and a shared purpose, ensuring that they can contribute to both our legacy and future transformation. Besides this you should always bear in mind that working in the retail industry means you love working in a fast paced, continuously changing, no nonsense and service-focused environment!”

Learn more about Hunkemöller's careers on the new career site!