Face time with Fashion CEO: Triumph

In 2013, FashionUnited is meeting with various top executives from the fashion industry. Soren Steffensen has been CEO of the lingerie brand Triumph in the Northern European region since March 2011. In this capacity, he is responsible for Scandinavia,

France and the Benelux. His goal for the coming five years: “To achieve 100 percent growth for the Triumph brand in the Benelux.” And above all, he wants to improve collaboration with retailers.

Tonight,

before the meeting with retailers, you will be abseiling into the lobby of the Hotel Radisson Blu in Amsterdam?
Laughing: “I always say ‘yes’ to this kind of adventurous activity. It’s the first time we’ve held a meeting with all the retailers from the Northern Europe region. The retailers were pleased with our new collection during our first meeting yesterday. We are launching a product line in the Benelux that we’ve already sold in Scandinavia. What’s it called again?

Why is Triumph focusing on the Benelux this year?
“We are doing an ‘ok job’ with Sloggi and see the potential for Triumph. In the Benelux, Triumph is perceived as a bit old-fashioned. We predominantly sell the classic models here, although we also have modern lingerie. The target audience is a little older than it should be. We also want to reach younger women of about 30 who, perhaps, have just had their first child.

What’s clever about the corrective underwear market?
We want to be the number one in shapewear. Yes, we have competitors but we are more modern and sexy. And the industry is so innovative. The materials are no longer as thick as they were ten years ago. We are primarily concerned with giving women what they want. They no longer have to go to the gym or run twenty kilometres. Yes, you could say we are making women lazy.

What is your growth strategy?
Intensified collaboration with retailers. Not only with the big players but also with independent businesses. This could entail using the ‘shop-in-shops’ concept, although retailers also include our collections on consignment. In this way, we share the responsibility for shop sales with the retailers. That’s good for the retailers and it enables Triumph to grow steadily. We are in a less precarious position.

Is Triumph not fearful of that responsibility?
No, you just have to set the organisation up differently. We regularly work that way in Scandinavia and Germany.

What is your vision for lingerie in the future? Do you really believe in – as the Triumph website promises – bras with the scent of flowers or chocolate?
The materials are becoming increasingly sophisticated. I predominantly see innovations in corrective underwear. For example, we now have anti-cellulite lingerie.

Who: Soren Steffensen
What: CEO for Northern Europe at Triumph International
Since: March 2011
Retail points: Triumph International’s labels – Triumph, Sloggi, Valisère and Hom – are sold in 120 countries. The company has 42,000 points of sale, of which 2000 are directly-owned shops.
Revenue: 2 billion Swiss Francs in 2011 (1.6 billion euros)