138 WHAT'S THE STORY
North Sails. On Course for Success
North Sails’ revamped apparel range includes a women’s line.
Following the takeover by Oakley Capital, the ship sail and sportswear specialist underwent a fundamental restructuring process and revised its apparel collection completely. Only recently, the brand showcased its new women’s range at the Pitti Uomo in Florence. Text: Kay Alexander Plonka. Photos: North Sails
In order to breathe new life into the sportswear collection of the ship sail specialist, North Sails hired a truly experienced crew. Eric Bijlsma, the new co-owner and CEO, who was at the helm of Netherlands-based street wear and denim brand Scotch & Soda for many years, brought Robert Polet, a former CEO of Gucci Group, on board as a partner. Both individuals are not only experienced captains in the textile industry, but also passionate sailors. “Our aim is to transform the tradition-steeped sail maker into a pioneering global brand with the assistance 315 style in progress
of a team of fashion designers, product developers, and sailors”, Eric Bijlsma explains. The new headquarters are located at the entrance to the harbour of Amsterdam. The light-flooded penthouse of the former harbour master offices now houses the brand’s management, distribution, and marketing departments. A large showroom can be found one floor below. The creative director is Mauro Talliani, who previously worked for renowned brands such as Hugo Boss, Trussardi, and Calvin Klein Jeans. He revamped North Sails’ apparel range in his studio in Florence, which resulted in a collection divided into four lines. Global Expansion
Black, the exclusive premium line, is defined by a clear design approach and incorporates certain design-technical elements from the world of sailing in an understated manner. The range consists of approximately 60 items; the retail prices for jackets
from the autumn/winter season range, for example, from 550 to 1,100 Euros. Deep Blue is the more technical and athletic maritime collection, while Ocean Blue is an apparel range with a younger and more fashionable approach. The Iconic Line, with retail prices starting at 99 Euros, offers timeless classics such as polo shirts and chinos as a supplementary NOS programme. Shortly after the presentation in January, customers such as Breuninger, Ansons, Conleys, Fashion Room, Excelsior Milano, and Gerard Loft placed first orders. North Sails is also planning a special project with Colette, a Parisian concept store. Offenbach-based fashion agency Brandpool is responsible for the brand’s sales marketing in Germany and Austria. Bijlsma and his team divided the global expansion strategy into three phases. Now that the brand has been introduced to the European market, the launch of the women’s collection at the Pitti Uomo is the second phase,
North Sails was founded by Lowell North in San Diego (California) in 1957. The brand was sold to Terry Kohler in 1984 and subsequently merged with the Danish company Diamond Sailmakers in 1995. North Sails then awarded licenses for windsurfing sails and textiles. Most participants in both the Volvo Ocean Race and the America’s Cup use sails manufactured by North Sails. In fiscal year 2011, the company generated 110 million US Dollars in revenue with its sail division alone. In 2014, the North Technology Group, the parent holding of North Sails, was sold to private equity house Oakley Capital. The licensee for Europe and Asia, namely Tomasoni Topsail S.p.A., was also taken over by Oakley Capital and Eric Bijlsma. www.northsails.com
during which the label will also be established in the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. “Over the next one or two years, we will open approximately 20 flagship stores around the globe”, says Bijlsma. As soon as the store concept has been established, North Sails will set sail for Russia and China.
