Desigual (); Catalan: ); meaning "unequal, uneven") is a Spanish fashion label. The company was founded by Thomas Meyer in 1984, and is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain. As of 2022, it had a presence in 109 countries, with different distribution channels and several partners.
History
In 1983, founder Thomas Meyer designed a jacket made from scraps of second-hand jeans, then known as the "Iconic Jacket". The following year, he launched the brand Desigual. The idea came from Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet. In 1986, the company opened its first own store in the harbor of Ibiza and included its first logo – a graphical representation of a naked man and woman holding hands – designed by Peret.In 2011, Desigual started collaborating with French designer Christian Lacroix.
In 2012, the company officially opened its headquarters in the neighborhood of La Barceloneta in Barcelona, a glass building designed by Ricardo Bofill with 24,000 square meters of floor space distributed over six stories, which required an investment of 50 million euros. Desigual then joined the Textile Exchange. In 2015, it inaugurated its logistics center in Viladecans.
In 2019, the company redefined its products, including new materials, patterns and designs, in an effort to expand its audience and incorporate new generations.
Development
Known for a different kind of styling based on ethnic fabrics, colorful garments and creative designs, Desigual launches two collections every year: spring-summer and autumn-winter. The company has ten sales channels, both physical and online, and distribution is centralized in logistics centers located in Viladecans, Gavà, New Jersey (USA) and Hong Kong. Desigual was managed by Manel Adell from 2002 until December 2013. It achieved a 60% annual growth from 2002 to 2009, and a turnover of €250 million in 2009, €440 million in 2010 and €560 million in 2011. In 2011 it employed 2,900 people of 72 nationalities. In 2013 Manel Jadraque became the CEO. Further on, Alberto Ojinaga has been the managing director since 2016. In 2022 the firm has a presence in 109 countries, with 393 mono-brand stores and more than 2,600 employees worldwide, 547 of whom work at the Barcelona headquarters in the neighborhood of La Barceloneta.
In 2020, the company was ranked among the most valuable Spanish brands on BrandZ, and received the bronze Laus Award for the new brand identity it launched in 2019.
In 2021, Desigual introduced a four-day work week, allowing three days in the office and one day from home. The measure was approved by 86%, after being introduced at headquarters to a group of 500 employees. The work week was launched in October and was the first time an international fashion brand established such a week in Spain.
Desigual is part of Amfori and Sedex to audit and control its supply chain. The company have also signed agreements with international platforms focused on environmental responsibility like Textile Exchange, Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) or the Fashion Pact.
Brand image
Some of the names of collections launched by the company are "Real Life", "Magic Stories", "Luxury Feelings", "Me&You", "Better&Better", "Wow", "All Together", "Handmade", "Rainbow", "El Love" "La Difference", "El Now", "We are Animals" and "La vida es Chula".
In 2004, the company launched a line of T-shirts inspired by drawings of Thomas Meyer's daughters. In January 2010, Desigual launched a campaign in Spain and Portugal to promote the sale period: customers were invited to enter stores in their underwear, with the first 100 customers receiving a free outfit. The slogan for this campaign was: "Enter naked, leave dressed". 200 people queued in their underwear on the street outside the Madrid store to take advantage of the winter sale. The campaign was repeated in London, Berlin, Stockholm, Madrid, Prague and New York in June 2011; and in Madrid, Seville and Lyon in January 2012.
One of the brand’s most notable campaigns starred Winnie Harlow, a Canadian model with vitiligo, who was the face of the spring-summer 2014 collection. Desigual regularly creates collections with cultural and artistic figures. In addition to the collaboration with French designer Christian Lacroix, which began in 2011. Desigual signed a worldwide partnership with Cirque du Soleil in June 2011to develop a clothing collection named "Desigual inspired by Cirque du Soleil" including sixty items of clothing and accessories. Desigual also collaborated with Disney in a collection inspired by the iconic denim jacket, created by Thomas Meyer in the 80s from denim scraps with leather embellishments of different colour.