Brazilian denim succes in Europe

One of the largest denim manufacturers Vicunha is pushing the fashion boundaries with it’s stock sales. It’s the biggest success of the Brazilian company, which works with European fashion names across all segments, ranging from H&M and Inditex to Tommy Hilfiger and Diesel. The denim manufacturer can supply large quantities within three days only. Vicunha presented its new collections for AW09 during the Denim Première Vision at the start of June in Paris.

Director Thomas Dislich commented: “When I started out in my garage in 1999, I could never have dared to dream it would turn out quite like this.”

Dislich has always believed in the textile manufacturer’s possibilities. However, he could not have suspected that his department would grow into an important pillar of the parent company, as a result of the growing demands by the European market.

Dislich stated: “Asia’s threatening shadow was already lingering above all the manufacturers here during that time and everyone simply assumed that sooner or later all production activities would disappear from Europe. “But at the same time there was the rise of the vertically organised fashion chains and I was convinced that price wouldn’t be the only deciding factor, but speed would also be of great importance.”

However, Vicunha’s story didn’t start in Europe, but in Brazil where the manufacturer’s based. It is the story of a family firm founded during the middle of 40s as a small weaving mill. It was set up by immigrants and expanded with companies in steel, telecom, fruit export and a bank 60 years later. Vicunha Textile has 11.000 employees, 12 factories and an annual turnover of almost 700 million Euros. The company’s core business is the production of cotton denim, 12 million meters per month - enough for 10 million pairs of jeans.

Many different brands use Vicunha as their supplier, but the brands determines the washes, the model and the finish. Yet the denim manufacturer can’t ignore the fashion aspect. This is another fact that Vicunha learnt in Europe. The company set up a styling department three years ago and currently produces 35 different variants, with five different finishes, especially for the European market.

The styling department is of great importance, as the company supplies to customers that work with different seasons and collections. Plus the European jeans market has been divided into two: the pure elegance of Scandinavian brands like Tiger of Sweden and Day Birger et Mikkelsen versus the hip glamour of Italian labels like Diesel and Replay. This is translated into dry-wash types for the first group, with matt, natural fits and – also because of the cold climate – heavier qualities. In Southern Europe there is a preference for innovative finishes, glossy effects and lighter types in Southern Europe.

“In a nutshell, Vicunha Europe’s success is due in the fact that we can supply large quantities in no time at all,” says Dislich. And no time means no time at all, as they have a ‘3 day service’ motto. This formula has turned into such a success story in Europe, that the company is going to expand to Asia.

Image: Thomas Dislich