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| Issue date:01/06/2009 |
| ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel - Jun 2009 Issue |
| Source:Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel |
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| Newly launched Perfect One by Victoria’s Secret |
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The world lingerie industry has experienced infirm sales and likely retreating margins following the global economic crisis late last year. From then onwards, lingerie retailers and brands have been closely monitoring sales figures to construct realistic sales projection for this year. While innovative and attractive intimate wear appeal to customers, an acceptable price level helps allow them to slightly loosen the purse string, according to western intimate wear retailers.
Despite the macro-economic shadow, the global lingerie industry is not likely to see a major downward growth trend due to the growing Russian and Asian lingerie markets that can help compensate the weakened US and Western European lingerie market, according to the "Global Intimate Apparel Market: 2008 Edition" report.
The Russian lingerie market is witnessing a higher-than-average growth rate compared to the overall apparel industry, as the Russian middle class so far seemed to be less impacted by the global economic crisis. Wages and salaries in Russia have grown at an annual average rate of 12.8% over the past years.
Markets in Asia, particularly China and India, have also fueled the lingerie industry. Lingerie brands and retailers observe a rising number of their potential target consumers in these regions due to increasing urbanization, brand awareness, and rapid retail growth.
The global lingerie market grew at a rate of approximately 3%, and the Asian lingerie market expanded more rapidly at 8% (by the second half of 2008), the report mentioned.
On the supply side, Asia is also gaining importance as oriental manufacturers have played an increasingly crucial role in the global lingerie supply chain, with their strong expertise in the complicated process of making bras and varied intimate wear. Western lingerie retailers have put a higher priority on proximity to the design and supply base in Asia.
US brand designs in Hong Kong
"This proximity allows us to react speedily following the market changes," explained Nathalie Martinet, Vice-President, R&D and Launch of Victoria's Secret Stores. She has stationed at the Hong Kong design office of Victoria's Secret since July 2008. The company is the first US lingerie retailer to establish a design office right at the Asian manufacturing base. Ms Martinet told ATA Journal during the International Symposium of Intimate Apparel held by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong this March. The Hong Kong office currently has a team of five and works with the New York design office. This has made the frequent communications between the US retailer and Asian manufacturers a lot easier.
Nathalie Martinet |
"We would like to work with our partners in Asia as close as possible to have face-to-face interaction. We can now engage in brain storming on a daily basis," she said. This was more challenging when there is a 12-hour difference between New York and the China region.
Swift reaction to the market needs is critical in this competitive market. Ms Martinet explained that about four or five years ago, a bra launch was made approximately every three months, but Victoria's Secret now offers 12 launches around a year.
Operating with 1,000 stores in the US, the company shares a market of 34% in the country and off-store sales are available via online and mailing channels.
Ms Martinet considered it important to continue focusing on innovation this year. She said: "A bra is highly technical with possibly up to 51 pieces building it and therefore 51 opportunities for improvement."
Innovation, however, has to remain close to the heart of the consumer, which can be characterized with three needs: excitement, performance and basic.
Recovery, durability and breathability can be classed as basic needs, which are implicitly expected by consumers. Performance needs include hand feel, aesthetics, and enhancement/swell. Excitement can be created if a product offers the consumer some features they would love to have but did not notice before. Examples can be minimal seams and print on interior fabrics.
Some recent novelties made by Victoria's Secret are the Dream Angels Demi bra that has exclusive memory foam for ultimate comfort, and the Biofit that is an answer to customization for consumer delight, according to Ms Martinet. The latest launch in March 2009 is described by Victoria's Secret as "the perfect one", which offers engineered support and shape enhancement.
Consumer purchasing behavior is framed by the budget consideration under the current economic situation, and basic and performance needs can be prevailing factors. Meanwhile, they can still respond to excitement factors, Ms Martinet said.
Innovative bonding technologies replacing stitches
On the technical front, the quest for stitch-free design of bras is getting particularly popular along with other innovative research areas such as molding, chemistry, smart fabrics and environmental protection.
Starting a decade ago, Bemis has been developing its Sewfree technology, initially for a European intimate wear brand. Its applications have been extended to the segments of swimsuits and technical outerwear.
John Cha |
The technology involves a process of heat bonding, welding, fusing and/or laminating to replace conventional stitching with heat-activated adhesive films. John Cha, Product Development Manager at Bemis Hong Kong Ltd said: "Sewfree is a continuous thermoplastic adhesive film, capable of providing 100% surface coverage and adhesion. Using highly elastic polyurethane (PU) that can work well with most fibers, the coverage can be uniform or precise. It contains no VOCs or solvents, making it safe and easy to handle."
This stitch-free bonding offers a lower profile than sewing and gives smooth seam, making the resulted intimate wear aesthetically appealing, Mr Cha commented. It is also less abrasive to the end-user and reduces weight of the end product. The transparent film requires no color matching and can improve water resistance.
Users can choose from a range of machinery to realize the technology, according to Bemis. Any machine able to apply heat (energy) and pressure for a certain amount of time can be eligible. Some commonly used machinery/technologies include:
Platen heat sealers (shuttle, carouset, belt or molded forms),
Ultrasonic, laser and radio-frequency (RF) technologies (continuous or discontinuous), and
Hot air sealers, e.g. seam sealing machines and continuous edge treatment machines.
There are considerations when using stitch-free technologies. Pattern making is affected as virtually no seam is allowed. As far as product safety is concerned, compliance with Oeko Tex, CPSIA and REACH can be areas of attention. Thoughts on fabric or substrate compatibility, climatic environment and manufacturing process are also needed, Mr Cha mentioned.
At the Hong Kong Mode Lingerie held this April, Invista, a producer of integrated fibers and polymers, introduced a newly developed Lycra 2.0 tape for garment.
The new technology provides bonded hems, bands, and seams for garments that stretch and recover in response to body's movements. It helps reduce undergarment lines associated with bulky narrow elastics, providing intimate apparel wearers with smooth, all-day fit. It can exert less compression on the body during wear than bulky narrow elastics, and extend the durability of a garment, according to Michelle Rice, Global Director of Intimate Apparel and Swimwear, Apparel Marketing Business for Invista.
China lingerie market grows above average in Asia
Notably, China itself is an exciting consumer market apart from being a manufacturing base.
Zhang Rongming |
A major lingerie and beachwear trade exhibition organizer, Eurovet observed that the Asian lingerie market represents 20% of the global market with annual growth of 8% in comparison to worldwide annual growth of 2.9%. In China, the lingerie sector showed the strongest growth with a growth of 10% in 2008 and 11% growth during the last five years. Chinese consumers currently devote on average 8% of their clothing budget to lingerie and experts expected the figure to rise to 10% in 2010.
More trends in China observed by Eurovet are noteworthy.
A strong upswing in the number of higher quality "second lines". An ultra-structured market, featuring the following three key segments: "students", "young working women" and "women with high spending power".
Chinese consumers are increasingly sensitive to European style, attracted to the idea of lingerie's seductive powers.
An increasing demand for larger sizes, particularly C and D cup bras.
There is a clear diversification in the Chinese retail scene. In 2002, the ten largest brands shared 80% of the market, a figure that had fallen to 43% by 2006.
More western specialized chain stores have entered the market such as Inné and Private Shop, creating a richer and more glamorous retail landscape.
In the dynamic Chinese market, domestic brands have grown rapidly, and Aimer is one of them.
Store design enhances the image of Aimer's brands in China |
Founded by Zhang Rongming at Beijing in 1993 with an inventive bra product supported by shape-memory alloys, Aimer Group is one of the Chinese lingerie leaders with an annual turnover exceeding 90 million euros (in 2007).
Soon after its establishment, Aimer Group attracted investment from Japan on the basis of the shape-memory bra, leading to the establishment of a joint venture to capture the emerging intimate wear market in China.
By 2008, the group employed some 2,000 people including designers and R&D researchers, and it owns brand names of Aimer (1993), La Clover (2004), Imi's (2005), and more recently Aimer Men, to market a range of products, from intimate apparel, shape wear, warm underwear, lounge wear to swimwear and accessories.
"The growth rate of Aimer brands went beyond our expectation in 2007 at over 30%. Among them, 'La Clover' doubled from the previous year and the Imi's grew by 120% between 2006 and 2007. The men's brand also saw a remarkable increase in sales in these years," said Mr Zhang, adding that the company had accumulated substantial experience to optimally design intimate wear for women and this laid a solid foundation for it to combine fashion and size in the best way.
He considered the rapid development of his brands a happy result of the appropriate use of scentific data. The group founded the Aimer Research Institute of Human Body with the Beijing Institute of Clothing Technology in 1999. Among other research projects, the institute gathered and analysed key measurements (chest/hip/waist) of women across China.
A survey conducted by Beijing Apparel Institute and Aimer Group shows that the bust size of Chinese women has increased by 1cm – the average bust size for women in northern China is 83.54cm while the average bust size for women in the southern and western China is 82.21cm. The cup size also increases among Chinese women. Majority bras sold were in A and B cups, but the demand for bras in C, D and E cups has accelerated in recent years.
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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| Copyright © Adsale Publishing Limited. Any party needs to reprint any part of the content should get the written approval from Adsale Publishing Ltd and quote the source "ATA Journal for Asia on Textile & Apparel", Adsale Textile English Website - www.AdsaleATA.com. We reserve the right to take legal action against any party who reprints any part of this article without acknowledgement. For enquiry, please contact Editorial Department. |
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