Desigual
Spain
Desigual is a Spanish fashion brand founded in Barcelona in 1984 by Thomas Meyer, known for bold colours, prints and patchwork. It sells through its own stores, wholesale partners, department store concessions, marketplaces and its own e-commerce site in more than 100 countries.
| Founded | 1984, Barcelona |
|---|---|
| Founder | Thomas Meyer |
| Headquarters | Barcelona, Spain |
| Revenue | 371 million euros (2021) |
| Presence | About 107 countries |
| Website | desigual.com |
What is Desigual?
Desigual is a clothing and accessories brand from Barcelona. The name means unequal in Spanish, and the brand is known for vivid colours, prints, patchwork and artistic influences. Its headquarters sit on the Barcelona seafront in the La Barceloneta area.
History
Founder Thomas Meyer created the brand in 1984 around a jacket made from denim offcuts, which the company calls one of fashion's first upcycled products. The first store opened in Ibiza's port in 1986. International expansion began in 2006 with Singapore, followed by New York in 2009 and Colombia in 2010. Manel Adell led the company as chief executive from 2002 to 2013, a period of rapid growth: revenue rose from 250 million euros in 2009 to 560 million euros in 2011. In 2020 Desigual adopted the claim Love Different, and it reported revenue of 371 million euros in 2021.
Products and positioning
Desigual sits in the accessible mid market and has moved towards a more contemporary, fashion focused look while keeping its signature prints. It has worked with a long list of designers and artists, including Christian Lacroix from 2011, Collina Strada, Botter, Masha Popova and Okuda San Miguel.
Business model and distribution
Desigual describes itself as an omnichannel company with ten distribution channels. Key channels are:
- More than 215 directly operated stores
- Wholesale partners and department store concessions
- Marketplaces and e-tailers
- Its own site desigual.com, created in 1998, and a mobile app
The company says it is present in about 107 countries.
Desigual and technology
Desigual has documented substantial investment in retail technology. Reported initiatives include RFID tracking across all stores, a move of its core ERP to SAP S/4HANA Cloud with a new B2B platform on SAP Commerce Cloud, IBM Sterling order management, a demand forecasting project with Slimstock, customer data and personalisation with Bloomreach, an automated goods to person area at its Viladecans distribution centre and a blockchain pilot for supply chain visibility. It also launched the Awesome Lab start up accelerator in 2021.
Why it matters
Desigual is a distinctive mid sized Spanish brand that combines a strong design signature with an unusually broad channel mix and a well documented technology stack.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Desigual from?
Desigual is from Barcelona, Spain. It was founded there in 1984 by Thomas Meyer and still has its headquarters on the Barcelona seafront.
Is Desigual a luxury brand?
No. Desigual is an accessible mid market brand. It is known for bold prints and colours rather than luxury pricing, and sells through its own stores, wholesale partners and online.