Ecomdigest Underwear - 10.03.2024

PLUS: Wacoal acquires Bravissimo for $61M to expand globally

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
October 03, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

Specialty Bites 🍪

Etam's 17th runway show at La Monnaie in Paris dazzled with vibrant themes and live female performances. Despite rain, the event featured sculptural black lines, green lace, posh baby-doll looks, and iridescent details. Celebrities and influencers attended, celebrating the brand's innovative lingerie designs and energetic atmosphere.

Shapellx, a leading women's shapewear brand, celebrates its fifth anniversary with a blend of online and offline festivities. The brand's debut outdoor advertising in major U.S. cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta aims to elevate its spirit and connect with a broader audience. Highlights include a dynamic billboard display in Times Square and a special promotion offering $50 off sitewide with a unique coupon code.

The initiative underscores Shapellx's commitment to confidence, comfort, and inclusivity. By integrating online buzz with offline visibility, Shapellx fosters a supportive community that values self-expression. As it enters its sixth year, the brand reaffirms its mission to help women embrace their unique beauty and reshape their lives.

Thai actress Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, known as Baifern, confidently embraced the exposed bra and underwear trend at Onitsuka Tiger's Spring/Summer 2025 show in Italy. Her athleisure outfit, paired with bright yellow heels, showcased her style. Baifern shared photos on Instagram, including one with TWICE's Momo, the brand's global ambassador.

Wacoal Holdings, a prominent Japanese women's underwear manufacturer, has announced its acquisition of the British bra brand Bravissimo Group for 45.7 million pounds ($61.3 million). This strategic move aims to bolster Wacoal's overseas business amidst declining domestic earnings. Bravissimo, known for its specialization in large-cup-size bras, operates 25 directly managed stores in the U.K. and excels in e-commerce. Wacoal plans to leverage Bravissimo's retail and online strengths to enhance its market presence.

Established in 1995, Bravissimo reported sales of 58 million GBP for the year ending October 2023. The acquisition will see Wacoal purchasing all shares through a U.K. subsidiary, with future plans for joint product development. This move is expected to provide Wacoal with direct access to Bravissimo's customer base and innovative online services, such as video chats with fitting experts.

Wacoal has faced significant challenges in its home market, reporting an 8.6 billion yen ($59.5 million) net loss for the year ending March, a sharp increase from the previous year's 1.6 billion yen loss. The company has struggled against low-priced competitors in Japan but sees potential growth in international markets, which currently account for over 30% of its sales. Notably, Wacoal's sales in the U.K. have surged nearly 30% from March 2020 to March 2024, underscoring the strategic importance of this acquisition.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

New guide reveals that Google Discovery is best for ROAS at low spend, whereas Performance Max delivers results at scale. To optimize performance in Google, brands should: 

  • Invest in Performance Max, which comprises ~24% of budget on average and supports increased scale at similar performance. 

  • Leverage Google Discovery for potentially strong ROAS, especially at lower spend levels. 

  • Consider Google Shopping as a middle-ground option, offering good ROAS potential with more scale than Discovery. 

This research was put together by Fospha, EMEA's leading marketing measurement platform. Fospha has $1bn spend under measurement across 150+ of the world's best eCom brands, including Free People and Gymshark. They've assembled a guide of the best Google channels & strategies to lead brands into H2 - you can read this here. 

Performance Platters 🍽️

Brands are leveraging holistic video strategies to engage consumers across multiple platforms, driving full-funnelbusiness outcomes. By utilizing first-party data and diverse video channels, companies like PepsiCo and Lexusachieve significant increases in brand awareness, consideration, and conversions. Amazon Ads exemplifies this approach, offering expansive opportunities for advertisers.

DMEXCO 2024 showcased AI's practical applications, retail media's growth, and the shift to cookieless solutions.Key trends included AI-driven transformation, the rise of retail media, and the importance of first-party data. The event emphasized collaboration, transparency, and the evolving landscape of digital marketing, highlighting innovation and future opportunities.

Brand websites remain crucial for the golden quarter, driving engagement and sales, according to Visualsoft's research. While social media is growing in importance, targeting the right consumers is essential. Newsletters and nostalgic Christmas ads also play significant roles, with nearly half of consumers driven by nostalgia.

Ecomdigest is a Contentive publication in the DTC Ecommerce division