Didriksons
Based in Boras, Didriksons is celebrating its 100th year and is today a very successful fashion company with sales approaching 500 million kronor SEK. Didriksons is currently active in over 20 countries.
However, the company very nearly did not survive its 85th birthday. In 1998 the brand Didriksons was near to closure when it was bought by Soren Andreasson.
Soren saw the potential of the brand and together with a new ownership group began work in 1999 with a new revitalized Didriksons. The first few years early in the decade saw modest growth but a constant increase in sales pushed the development momentum so that by 2005 Didriksons was strong enough to successfully enter the export market after market.
We worked fast to identify the customer and customer analysis was a key starting point. We have worked hard with concepts combining function, design and affordability. “Our clothes are not exactly cheap but still give the customer great value for money“ says Sören Andreasson, who is still president, and also the largest shareholder.
Didriksons started in 1913 in Grundsund on the Swedish west coast by husband and wife, Julius and Hanna Didrikson. From the beginning they made clothing for fishermen where the material was impregnated cotton. This was the start and the future of making waterproof functional clothing. Today we work with modern multi-functional materials, where much of the company's collections are made from waterproof and breathable material. Didriksons now see a strong trend for rain gear but with classic vinyl feel.
Didriksons celebrated its 100th anniversary in late May and part of that celebration took place back its birthplace, Grundsund where there is still the original factory building from 1913. The 31st May will always have the Didriksons Imprint on Grundsund.
The reboot of Didriksons in 1998 took place in Sweden's textile centre, Boras. This is now the home of the purpose built headquarters with its own design studio, management and modern efficient inventory systems. Clothing production takes place mainly in China and so a few years ago Didriksons established its own office in Beijing.
Didriksons is still privately owned by a group of owners who are active in the management. It has managed to take the plunge into the world thanks to strong profitability and without external risk.
Didriksons today has a very strong position in the Swedish market but it's the export markets that is increasing the most. The largest export country is Norway, followed by Russia. Strong growth is happening right now in Germany and the UK.
Just in time for the 100th anniversary Didriksons developed two Heritage Collections, inspired by the Swedish west coast. The Spring Heritage Collection came out in stores in earlier this year in April and the autumn collection, which includes warm lined parkas for both adults and children, becomes available in stores from early September.