Lindex partners with creatives for new intimates brand Closely

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Nov 17, 2019

Stockmann-owned fashion chain Lindex is linking up with Tove Langseth and Filip Nilsson to create a new intimates brand called Closely that will be unveiled next year.

The move is part of the retailer’s aim to focus on growth opportunities and sees it embracing one of the most dynamic sub-sectors of the womenswear market and adding a strong dose of creativity with the new brand.

It’s certainly an interesting development with Langseth and Nilsson being two of Sweden’s most prominent creative thinkers, the former having been CEO of ad agency Nord DDB until last year and the latter creative director for over two decades at Sweden’s biggest agency, Forsman & Bodenfors.

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The new brand has Lindex on board as partner and investor from day one and will actually launch next autumn with a mainly-digital approach, although there are also some physical spaces being planned.

Lindex already has a high profile in the lingerie market and CEO Susanne Ehnbåge said: “Our partnership with Closely is an exciting example of how we can create new business opportunities based on our strengths. Through an analysis of the global underwear market, we saw great potential for Tove and Philip's innovative idea. Lindex has a unique expertise in lingerie and we look forward to joining Closely's journey with these two strong entrepreneurs.”

Langseth added that the group aims to “create the world's best underwear. It may sound cocky but that's how we think. Furthermore, the boundary between underwear and sports is becoming increasingly fluid. We will have a small but uncompromised sports range right from the start.”

Nilsson added that the partners have been building towards this for around a year and have taken a “deep dive into the global underwear market, and realised what a revolution this industry is facing in everything from retail to view of women and sustainability. It was impossible not to start sketching a new alternative”.