UNDRESSING LINGERIE MARKET OPPORTUNITIES IN 2021 DIVERSITY MITIGATES RISK, COSTS

By Dora Lau, founder and president, DLI

By Dora Lau, founder and president of DLI

makes up only part of the total sales. Those not focused on an extended size range are missing an opportunity. Market data reveals that plus-sizes attributed for only 25% of products available, and we see potential for growth.

The vendor takes on the responsibility of getting the products designed and delivered to the brand’s distribution center on time. Generating maximum sales requires that the products meet the demands of physical and online retail channels. There are also issues with quality control, sampling and transportation.

Innovation and Competition

Risk Mitigation

generation of shoppers is paying attention, and they are vocal about sustainability issues.

Brands wishing to focus on this area for growth need to find a design and manufacturing partner that truly understands how to engineer a plus-size bra that is sized properly and offers benefits such as shape, comfort and sophistication. It is these areas that provide women with the confidence they crave.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, innovation is critical to success. Vendors are focused on the global changes, opportunities and challenges to market conditions. They have teams in key locations around the world who are able to create a workflow that runs 24/7. This is extremely challenging for one brand or company to do. Going directly to a manufacturer means that you rely on internal capabilities, while a vendor partner will have multiple relationships for every level of development.

A global sourcing partner with a network of relationships reduces risk by distributing their dependency across multiple suppliers. By relying on a single supplier, a company becomes vulnerable to supply chain disruptions that can result from issues such as natural disasters, labor strikes and financial difficulties. For example, if a factory experiences a disruption, the company will still have access to other vendors who can supply their needs. This allows them to remain operational while they search for alternate sources of supply or re-evaluate their operations to accommodate the situation.

Comfort Is Queen

It is not surprising that during a time when women are working from home or going out less than they used to that bralettes have seen a 117% increase in sales. That doesn’t mean that women have to give up comfort and support with a wirefree bra. The right design, fabric and construction can give women everything that they want and need to feel confident.

Innovation also requires a firm understanding of the supplier landscape. Proper vendor selection and management processes can help identify the best vendors for different applications, assess quality control efforts, review financial stability and track performance metrics so that there is time, money and energy devoted to leveraging what is new and upcoming.

Understanding Local Markets

Brands often undertake going directly to a manufacturer and immediately realize that there are significant cultural and language barriers. Specs do not fully meet the needs of the markets where the product is being sold, specifics are difficult to explain, time is lost in development and errors are made in the sampling and final product. One of the biggest issues that brands face when going directly to the manufacturer is that the products ultimately do not suit the market where the product is merchandised.

The industry needs to pay attention in two key ways. As companies, we need to review our practices and make greater efforts to be more sustainable. We also need to research and develop solutions that are cost-effective and exciting for our customers. The opportunities exist where we can bring awareness to customers about Earth-friendly fabrics, manufacturing and programs that check off all the boxes, including price, service, quality and aesthetics. It is our responsibility to translate trends and create exciting intimate apparel so that we can be a part of a long-term movement.

Bra Wardrobe Essentials

Mitigate these risks by working with a vendor that is adept at working with multiple suppliers. For example, if one supplier experiences a problem, the impact on the vendor partner is able to quickly lean on other suppliers for support. This can help to ensure that the brand’s supply chain remains stable and that it can continue to meet customer demand.

Improved Relationships

Finally, diversifying your vendor base can help to improve relationships with retailers. Products are of the highest quality because someone outside of the manufacturer is reviewing and controlling quality issues. Deliveries are on time and products meet the demands of customers, including regional wants and needs.

Until recently, no-wire or wire-free bras were very comfortable but did not give a nice shape or much support. Today, we create wireless bras that offer many of the same great features as underwire bras — but without a wire in the band. These new styles offer both great styling and support with maximum comfort. The design and technology that goes into a bra is constantly evolving and changing. Many of the fabric technologies that are found in sports fabrics are making their way into wire-free lingerie design, as are the features needed to provide both support and comfort.

A focus on comfort does not mean the end of beautiful bras and seductive silhouettes. Experienced partners are able to create seamless and wireless bras that provide comfort with stunning laces and vibrant colors. We are in an era of feminine details that offer fashion and function.

Vendor diversity is essential for any company looking to succeed in today’s fast-paced and often uncertain environment. By mitigating risk, increasing competition, driving innovation, achieving cost savings and improving relationships with retailers, brands can position themselves for long-term success and growth. They will be better able to prepare and weather the storms of cyclical markets that ebb and flow with opportunities and challenges. Ensuring a diverse vendor base is an investment that is well worth making.

While push-up bras will always be a wardrobe staple, sports bras and T-shirt bras are adding to the already popular bralette and wireless craze. According to market analysts at Edited, “Sports bras stocked in the U.K. market alone have increased by 42%, with prices rising as retailers capitalize on the COVID-19 activewear boom. T-shirt bras also saw a 17% lift, echoing the importance of comfort.” These are the types of trends that help to fuel innovation. Much-loved moisture-wicking properties go from sports bras to bralettes as the warmer weather approaches. As women seek to be more active, focus on self-care and comfort, their bra wardrobes will be adjusted, and essentials will include a new range of styles.

While there have been great challenges and stresses in the past year, there are several areas that women have come to appreciate. Greater awareness for inclusivity, having more time for exercise, a greater focus on self-care and a desire to find products that meet a strong desire sustainability are just a few examples. These are the opportunities for growth with today’s consumers, whose lives has seen work and home activities blur together.

Sustainability: The New Normal

The right vendor partner will have a local design team that understands everything about the product being created, including the latest technologies in fabrics, fibers, dyeing, sampling and more. They know what customers in their region want, what sells and how to develop programs that ultimately solve the customer’s problem.

Over the past few years, the wellness, ethical and sustainable fashion scene has been one of the fastest-growing categories touching diverse industries from apparel to home. The lingerie industry is looking at its environmental impact as it relates to the disposable nature of fast fashion, excessive dyes and the use of petroleum-based fabrics. The next

DLI is a full-service intimate apparel company known for solution-driven innovation and successfully shipping millions of bras each quarter. For more than 28 years, DLI has developed private label merchandise for leading intimate apparel brands in band sizes from 32-54 and cup sizes A-K.