Success, Tailored by Triumph
Bad Zurzach (Switzerland), January 26, 2012
The transformation of Triumph International into one of the world’s leading manufacturers of lingerie and underwear is truly a global success story: an owner-operated company with close to 50 sales organizations that now enjoys a presence in over 120 countries. For its brands Triumph, sloggi, Valisère, and HOM, the company develops, produces and markets underwear, shape wear, sleepwear and swimwear both wholesale and through its own stores.
Triumph International has brought about this success from humble beginnings: More than 125 years ago, a classic corset factory with just six sewing machines and six employees was set up in a barn in the Kingdom of Wuerttemberg, in southern Germany. Back in 1886, when the merchant Michael Braun and the corset maker Johann Gottfried Spiesshofer began their corset manufacturing business, garments like the thong or the bikini were unheard of. The “underwear” they produced was designed to protect, provide warmth, support, shape and - above all - conceal the body. But soon, the tide of fashion began to democratize and as the demands of the broader population for clothing gained momentum, the desire for a more fashionable “underneath” quickly increased. Complicated suspender belts and lace-up corsets no longer dictated the zeitgeist. At that time, like today, consumer needs and desires were the top priority for Triumph, so the company met the challenges of these new times with more comfortable, contemporary design that left the body more room to move.
The founding fathers who in 1902 registered the trademark ‘Triumph’ - which was extended to the company name Triumph International in 1953 - recognized early on that just like outerwear, underwear is the reflection of an attitude towards life. They started to lay the foundations for an innovative product policy which was coupled with the highest standards of material and workmanship, emphasizing the perfect fit of its products all along. The constant development of new materials and manufacturing processes soon made soft, comfortable lingerie in fashionable forms, colours and cuts possible. True to its philosophy - "Triumph - Dedicated to Women’s Lives” - which still holds true today, Triumph quickly became a pioneer in the transformation of the shaping corset into luxurious and seductive lingerie.
An international company, long before the age of globalisation
In terms of worldwide expansion, Triumph International was quick to exhibit and realise its entrepreneurial vision: in as early as 1960, a subsidiary was opened in Hong Kong and since then, individual Asian collections have been marketed that reflect the requirements of Asian women and men in terms of sizes, cuts, designs and materials. Other subsidiaries followed just a few years later, e. g. in Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and China. Today, numerous designers in Triumph design centres in Europe and Asia observe, perceive and transform global trends in fashion, art, culture, and lifestyle into the collections of the brands Triumph, Valisère, sloggi, and HOM.
Alongside its commitment to fashionable designs and exacting quality requirements, the company commits to its environmental and ethical responsibilities with full vigor. Triumph products are manufactured in high-tech production plants, many of them owned and operated by the company, using environmentally friendly and energy-saving production methods and the most modern and environmentally certified materials. Adherence to ethical guidelines to the highest international standards indicate the company's sense of responsibility beyond the product itself and ensures the important contribution of the creation of socially desirable, long-term jobs as well as sustainable economic development, particularly in disadvantaged regions.
Today, Triumph International joins the ranks of global leaders in the lingerie sector, with 36,500 employees worldwide, an annual turnover of 2.2 billion Swiss francs (2010) and a multi-facetted product palette that is sold in more than 120 countries, from Norway to South Africa and from Brazil to India. This is taken care of by around 40,000 retail trade customers, with whom Triumph has traditionally had close relations, in addition to a dense network of 2,100 Triumph Stores, which are operated both by partners and by Triumph itself. Triumph International is mindful of the fact that quality products must be accompanied by excellent service in order to satisfy demanding consumers. Thus, stylish store designs, extensive product selections and well trained staff are an imperative part of Triumph’s efforts to meeting consumer needs and desires.
This global corporation is one of the few companies in the apparel industry that still remains family owned. The headquarters of the group’s holding company is in Bad Zurzach, Switzerland. Other important business centres are located in Heubach and Munich (both in Germany) and in Hong Kong.
Triumph International is one of the world’s largest underwear manufacturers. The company enjoys a presence in over 120 countries with its core brands Triumph®, sloggi®, Valisère® and HOM®.Triumph employs more than 36,500 people and achieves a turnover of CHF 2.2 billion (2010).