North Face 2004 Annual Report Download - page 20

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VF C O R P O R A T I O N 2004 Annual Report
A highlight in 2004 was our new joint
venture agreement in Mexico, which
provides a platform to introduce our
brands there.
Three Brands with Momentum in
Mass Our Vassarette®brand, which
targets the “sexy and fun” consumer,
has been especially strong during the
past two years and we’ve used this
strength to further expand into the
panty and teen areas. We’ve increased
our marketing spending to highlight
the brand’s fresh, exciting imagery.
And we’ve tapped into the popularity
of NASCAR with our sponsorship of an
up-and-coming female driver.
A big success for us in 2003 was the launch
of our Curvation®brand, designed to address
the needs of real women with real
curves. The brand expanded into
sports and strapless bras in 2004,
and we plan to launch shapewear this
spring. No doubt some of our success
can be attributed to our relationship
with award winning musician, actress
and author, Queen Latifah, who has
been our spokesperson for the brand
since its inception.
Our Bestform®brand enjoys a
leadership position in the sports bra
category, and we built upon this
success in 2004 with the launch of
new high performance products.
Style, Fit and Value: A Winning Combination
Our constant focus on innovation paved the
way for success in department and chain
stores in 2004. Our Vanity Fair®brand
capitalized on its reputation for great style
and fit with the launch of its Body Sleeks™
collection in 2004. Contributing to the
success of the launch was our national print
campaign that showcased our new updated
look and tagline, “Sense and Sensuality™.”
Our Lily of France®brand’s Value in Style®
collection, which offers great quality at an
everyday value price, continued to drive the
brand’s performance in 2004. The brand’s
fashion collection is geared to consumers
seeking a sexy, contemporary look, with the
introduction of the Spellbound™and Dazzler®
collections that complement our successful
X-Bra®collection and sports bra lines.
Launched in 2000, our licensed Tommy
Hilfiger®intimates business continues to be
a key player in the status intimate apparel
arena. We now offer a complete line including
pants, bras and camisoles.
Our private label business had a stellar
year, as we partnered with one of our largest
customers to support an important new
product launch. W hile somewhat more
volatile than our branded business, our
private label business remains an integral
part of our strategy.
We have a presence in Europe, primarily
France and Spain, with brands such as
Belcor® ,Bolero® ,Gemma® ,Intima Cherry® ,
Lou®and Variance® ,in addition to our
Vassarette®and Bestform®brands. Our
European team is focused on gaining market
share, rolling out innovative new sales formats
and transforming its supply chain to drive
higher profitability.
Looking forward, we’re expanding and
extending our biggest brands, building our
business in Canada, Mexico and Western
Europe and exploring new markets such
as Asia.
I N T I M AT E AP P ARE L Our great
portfolio of brands led the way for a
strong year in 2004. Sales rose 9%
and profitability improved as well.
Vanity Fair
Lily of France
Vassarette
Bestform
Curvation
Tommy Hilfiger*
Lou
Bolero
Gemma
Intima Cherry
Belcor
Variance
Majestic
Nike Swim*
C H A N N E L S O F D I S T R I B U T I O N
B R A N D S U N I T E D S TAT E S I N T E R N AT I O N A L
Department Mass Specialty Department Mass Specialty
*Licensed Brands Store Market Store Store Market Store
Vanity Fair ●
Lily of France ●
Vassarette ●●
Bestform ●●
Curvation ●
Tommy Hilfiger* ●
Lou ●
Bolero ●
Gemma ●●
Intima Cherry ●
Belcor ●
Variance ●
Majestic ●
Nike Swim* ●