Vilebrequin links with IMG for collabs, will expand into new categories

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 26, 2022

Luxe French swimwear label Vilebrequin has appointed IMG to “extend its brand globally through product and brand licensing partnerships, in a multi-year global deal”.

The 50-year-old label will work with IMG to “creatively extend the brand into wider lifestyle categories consistent with [its] cultivation of a sun-kissed joie de vivre spirit”. 

That includes a move into sunglasses, headwear, footwear, jewellery, resort and beach furniture and suncare. They will all feature the brand's “distinctive fabric patterns and St Tropez-rooted European flair”. 

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CEO Roland Herlory said: “We are pleased to partner with IMG to help us identify the best product and brand collaborations for Vilebrequin. We plan to extend our ‘art of living at the beach’ philosophy to new categories, which will expand the reach and grow our brand. In doing so, we will bring luxury holiday-wear to the next level.”

It’s a big move for the label that was founded in 1971 in Saint Tropez by Fred Prysquel, a photographer and sportscar journalist, and Yvette, a fashion designer. 

It has developed its swim collection in recent periods so that the pieces are now made from 50% recycled or recyclable materials and this should expand to approximately 80% by 2023. Additionally, its packaging is sourced from sustainably managed forests, contain 40% recycled materials and are fully biodegradable. 

Swimwear businesses were hurt by the events of the past two years in which holidays were cancelled in many parts of the world as travel was severely curtailed. But as the world reopens, despite the fast spread of the Omicron Covid variant, many analysts are expecting a surge in holiday bookings and sales of products linked to beach getaways. That means not only the firm’s core swim offer but the new categories it’s embracing should be in high demand.