Triumph: Establishes strong foothold with innovative range

Women’s innerwear brand Triumph has been in India since 2001. Though, it began its journey in Germany in 1886, it took some time before finding a formula for success. “You can’t use the same formula everywhere,” says Jennifer Kapasi, Head, Operations, Triumph International (India), adding, “We have tried to understand the Indian woman consumer and devise products that match her expectations.” The Indian lingerie market, Kapasi points out, is still very small and despite high demand, the number of players and products on offer are limited. The brand has been innovating to offer a variety of premium range for the Indian consumers.

Innovations to steer-clear competition

Triumph launched a new teenage bra line and later in the year will be launching Magic Wire. Its Body Make Up range is in light fabric. “The name signifies a woman’s make up. You wear it but don’t feel it. It provides a high level of comfort. Last year, we launched Cool Sensations, a line that uses a special yarn that cools down body temperature by 1.27 degrees. When you are out and it’s humid and warm, it keeps you comfortable,” explains Kapasi.

There will be a lace variation this year in Triumph’s wedding and festive collection. It plans to extend the party bra line, which can be worn with a halter neck or a sleeveless or backless or deep cleavage top. While, fashion lingerie can be offered even at low prices, Kapasi says that it is important to focus on quality and fits. “We do a lot of market research and customise something around that. It’s also about the fabrics we use. Now cotton is seen as something that’s inexpensive in India. But our cotton is not the cheapest since we import it to maintain quality standards,” she avers.

The brand uses a dual jersey for micro fiber and Lycra in many of its products. Touch cool fabric for Cool Sensations and Shape Sensations is used to enhance longevity of the product. “Design matters a lot,” asserts Kapasi, adding, “I can provide you a bra that’s underwired or non-wired and I can put a padding behind it. But what sort of padding? It has to provide comfort. We ensure that padding, laces are of quality material, straps don’t cut into wearer’s shoulders. Two years back we launched a product called the butterfly. It has a nice cleavage line but it has higher sideboards. They provide stability and support. There is a blend between the design and the beauty of the bra and the comfort it offers.”

The brand has on offer everything from the classic casuals, cotton comfort, the minimizer segment, push-up bras, teenage beginner bras, maternity wear, sportswear to even shape wear, fulfilling diverse needs of the consumers.

Market share and retail reach

In large formats, Triumph has a share of 30 percent. Basics sell the most. “The Indian consumer is evolving. Fashion, colours and styles play a bigger role today than a couple of years back. Women are willing to experiment. It is also about the confidence level of a woman. She wants to feel beautiful inside and look beautiful outside,” opines Kapasi.

Triumph sells through MBOs, EBOs and large formats and online. It has 200 points of sale at large format stores and adds an average of 20 to 25 stores every year for large formats. It has 600 to 650 points of sale at MBOs. “We will add 15 to 20 percent to MBOs every year. We also have two EBOs and plan to open five to ten EBOs in the next five years. Range is available on six to seven online platforms,” informs Kapasi.

The company manufactures its entire range in-house at a unit near Chennai, which was opened in 2008. The production capacity is 4,00,000 to 5,00,000 pieces a month. Elaborating, Kapasi says, “We use about 70 percent of the capacity. We have a quality check unit. Every fabric goes through tests. There is a machine only for stretching the fabric back and forth. Any fabric that fails the tests is rejected. We also have colour tests.”