4 million and operating income rose to 7

The high range Wolford tights specialist dream in global luxury brand. By what means Building more and more on ready-to-wear. Sign of this commitment, the Austrian group is preparing to market a line of clothing signed by British Antonio Berardi, its new artistic director. It will be launched with the collection cruise, from next month. In September, the Group was based on the pre-orders to evoke a "good home".

"Our growth through the development of new products, insists Yves Michel, the Director General of the French subsidiary of Wolford. Wolford is already the number one global tackifying high-end, far before the others, and he did virtually the full market decline for 15 years. "Improving the quality and sustainability of products, widespread wearing of trousers by women, even global warming, the reasons for the shift for this category of products are known. And they appear to be sustainable, even if the return dresses and fashion of the "leggings" (tights without foot) give them this winter a touch of news. In France, the market of the sticker for woman 5 of the volumes sold are at the top of range still fell by 3 in volume and 9 in value in the first half of this year over the same period of 2005, according to TNS Worldpanel Fashion.

Wolford was not spared by the difficulties. They have fueled rumors of transfer of control by the family of one of the two founders. After a black year in 2004-2005 and restructuring, the Group has yet resumed with growth and profits. In the past year, closed end of April, sales grew by 4.4, to EUR 121.4 million, and operating income rose to 7.4 million after a deficit of 500,000 euros a year earlier.

A seemingly risky bet

In response to the narrowness, seasonality or the decline in their market, many brands are moving away from their business of origin. The Italian specialist La Perla lingerie or, in the universe of the swimsuit, Speedo, are also to clothing. Wolford argue that to achieve his tuxedos or its shirts, it will rely on the knitting techniques that he developed for fifty-five years. Its incursion beyond the sticker is not totally new. From the 1980s were added the Bodys and sweatshirts and t-shirts and, finally, a few skirts and pants. Integrated with sticky tube dress designed in 1998 by Philippe Starck (the "Naked Starck") remained in the annals of the mark. Partnership with claws of luxury operations have multiplied in parallel. Result: the "bodywear" now represents 35 of the activity of the group, compared to 50 for the sticker, 11 for the lingerie and 4 for the swimsuit.

However, the bet of clothing may seem risky. The market is highly competitive and the development of clothing requires out of tights "boxes" format. A new generation of shops, two times more spacious than the previous, is being deployed by Wolford. In France, its products are distributed in 34 points of sale to its brand (including 7 own), 400 multi-brand and 63 corners of department stores.