| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1968 in San Francisco, USA |
| Headquarters | Global Business Headquarters: Ratingen, Germany Global Finance Headquarters: Hong Kong |
| Key people | Fook Aun Chew, Executive Director and Group CFO Ronald van der Vis, Executive Director and Group CEO Heinz Jürgen Krogner-Kornalik, Non-Executive Director and Chairman |
| Products | Apparel, Watches, Bedroom Furnishing |
| Employees | 15000 worldwide |
| Website | www.esprit.com |
Esprit Holdings Limited (Chinese: 思捷環球控股有限公司 SEHK: 330) is a publicly owned manufacturer of apparel, footwear, accessories, jewellery and housewares under the Esprit label. The company is headquartered in Kowloon, Hong Kong, and Ratingen (near Düsseldorf), Germany. In the 2007–2008 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited generated a worldwide sales of around EUR 3.25 billion (as of 30.06.2008). Esprit operates more than 770 retail stores worldwide and distributes products to more than 15,150 wholesale locations around the globe. Esprit has more than 1.1 million square meters of retail space in 40 countries.
The ESPRIT brand name is licensed to other manufacturers. In addition, the group owns the Red Earth cosmetics brand.
The Esprit flagship stores feature both current Esprit fashion lines and licensee products under one roof. Esprit has an architecture department that is responsible for the worldwide design of its stores.
In September 27, 2011 Esprit Holdings Ltd. valued at just $1.4 billion or loss more than 90 percent from a $20 billion company 4 years ago, but according to Credit Suisse, Esprit's brand is valued at $3.4 billion.[1]
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The first joint fashion line established by Susie and Doug Tompkins was sold from a VW bus and their headquarters was the Tompkins’ apartment in San Francisco. Susie assumed the creative and Doug Tompkins the financial role in the business.
In 1979, the Esprit logo was developed by John Casado.
The 1980s saw the introduction of the “Real People Campaign”, which was shot by photographer Oliviero Toscani. Esprit was able to recruit architects and designers for its projects, starting with Italian Ettore Sottsass, who developed the first Esprit Europe Headquarters in Düsseldorf. He established the overall concept of the stores in the style of the Memphis design movement.
Additional architects and designers include Aldo Cibic, Antonio Citterio, Norman Foster and Shigeru Uchida, who designed flagship stores in various countries, from the architecture to the interior design. In 2006, the Esprit Academy, an initiative for the promotion of creative young design talent, held an architecture competition for the design of a new global look for all Esprit stores.
Michael Ying, stepped down as executive director in 2002 and resigned as the chairman in 2006.[2]
Esprit splits its products into organizational divisions, which act as independent business units.
In 1998, the young range edc by Esprit was founded. The range for girls from 14 to 24 years brings out 12 monthly basis new product lines a year. Based on the success and growth of edc by Esprit, edc men was established in 2002. The edc portfolio is completed by its own shoes, accessories and bodywear ranges, as well as edc licensed products.
Since 2007, edc by Esprit has been an independent brand with its own team.
Since 1990, Esprit has emphasized expansion through licensees. More than 30 license holders include Coty/Lancaster (scents) and Falke (socks and stockings). Under the name “Esprit timewear + jewel”, Egana Holdings Ltd. produces watches and jewelery. There are plans to further expand the license business worldwide.
Esprit has focused on two sectors: Esprit home with a selection of furniture, carpets, wallpaper, lighting, living accessories, home textiles and exclusive bathrooms; and the kids’ world that ranges from maternity wear to toys and buggies to nursery furniture.
In the 2007/2008 business year, Esprit Holdings Limited reported worldwide sales of EUR 3.25 billion. Shares of Esprit Holdings Limited are traded on the Hong Kong stock market and are included in the Hang Seng Index, in the MCSI Index Hong Kong, as well as in the FTSE All World Index for Hong Kong, S&P/HKEx LargeCap Index and S&P Asia 50 Index.
The Group operates more than 835 directly managed retail stores worldwide and distributes its products via more than 15,150 wholesale locations around the globe. The company has more than 1.1 million square metres of sales area in more than 40 countries.
Its shares are a component of the following stock market indices:
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