Fashion Briefing: How Farm Rio and Marimekko leveraged signature prints to boost sales

Including a print within major brand codes offers fashion brands significant advantages, in terms of expansion through new categories and collaborations in a market where “sameness” is all too common. 

Brands that have become known for their prints have leaned into related opportunities. They include 73-year-old Finnish design company Marimekko and 27-year-old Brazilian fashion brand Farm Rio. Marimekko’s poppy “Unikko” print is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary. 

According to Sanna-Kaisa Niikko, CMO of Marimekko, prints have been the foundation of the brand. “For the founder of Marimekko, the point was to bring joy to people’s everyday lives [through color and print]. … It was more a way of living than a fashion brand.”

This ethos has allowed Marimekko to extend its reach beyond apparel to engage customers in categories including home decor food. In April, it opened a temporary café in Milan emblazoned with its Unikko print. 

Similarly, Fabio Barreto, CEO of Farm Rio, said the brand’s vibrant prints have enabled it to engage in diverse product lines and collaborations. Its sold-out Adidas collaboration helped get the brand visibility outside of Brazil, leading to its own wholesale, e-commerce and retail expansion. 

“In 2019, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our collaboration with Adidas, a partnership that continues to thrive,” said Barreto. “This collaboration has been a significant milestone for us, showcasing our prints on Adidas’s iconic sportswear and resonating well with a global audience. The success of this partnership has not only strengthened our brand’s international presence but also highlighted our vibrant, Brazilian-inspired designs.” The collection has sold out multiple times online and in-store.

Prints can make a brand easily recognizable when products inspired by trends like quiet luxury and sports, for example, often look homogenous. 

“Our strong, recognizable identity allows customers to connect emotionally with the brand and feel a part of the Brazilian lifestyle,” said Barreto. “The prints enable us to do stand out in categories including outerwear, which we launched two years ago. We’re very focused on launching our footwear and handbag categories now.”

Marimekko’s net sales increased by 5% to €174.1 million ($189 million) in 2023. Its international sales grew by 10%, driven by strong performance in Asia-Pacific and North America. In 2023, Marimekko opened 19 stores, including 17 in Asia and flagships in NYC and Copenhagen. It also revamped its Stockholm store. The company plans to open 10-15 new stores in 2024, primarily in Asia. The brand is publicly owned and has 167 stores globally.

Prints also make collaborations simpler — one brand’s popular print is often added to another brand’s popular style. For its part, Farm Rio has collaborated with Havaianas, Starbucks and Samsung since 2022.

“Brand collaborations are an important strategic tool for us,” Niikko said. “We use collaborations to reach new customers and as a positioning tool.” Since 2021, Marimekko has partnered with Uniqlo and Adidas.

Farm Rio has over 100 stores in Brazil and has focused on international expansion via e-commerce and wholesale since 2018. In 2020, it opened a flagship in Soho, New York. The brand’s international strategy includes launching exclusive collections tailored to different markets and linking with prominent wholesale partners. in the U.S., that includes Shopbop, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bloomingdale’s. 

This approach has led to consistent growth, with Farm Rio doubling its U.S. revenue year-over-year since 2022, reaching $100 million in sales in the market. The brand’s five stores include locations on Melrose Avenue, in Brooklyn and in Washington D.C. Internationally, it has stores in Paris, London, Milan, Turkey and Greece.

Early sales numbers 

The Fourth of July sales started early. The Allbirds Summer Sale, held from June 29-July 1, saw online sales more than double compared to the previous week. July 1 was particularly notable, generating over $730,000 and marking the company’s best single sales day since Cyber Monday. In total, the sale has generated nearly $1 million in surplus sales for Allbirds, according to data from sales platform Grips Intelligence.

Sales on BetseyJohnson.com also surged on July 1, with the brand running a Fourth of July sale offering up to 60% off. Sales reached $130,000, an 86% increase from the previous Monday, resulting in an additional $60,000 in DTC revenue for the brand.

Olympics insights

The Olympics partnerships are picking up. On July 24, Skims launched a limited-edition collaboration with Team USA with a campaign featuring athletes including gymnast Sunisa Lee and track-and-field athlete Gabby Thomas generating $2.3 million in media impact value in a week. MIV is a Launchmetrics metric that quantifies the impact of media coverage, influencer posts and social media interactions on brand value.

“Due to its power to unite an international audience and bring them closer to sports, the Olympics stands as the ideal amplification platform for brands of any size,” said Alison Bringé, CMO at Launchmetrics. “It’s a golden opportunity, not only due to its volume and visibility, but also convenience. To make the most of this moment, brands should focus on how their activations can complement the sporting events, rather than interrupt. Leveraging the natural flow of the Olympics generates awareness and integrates brands within a historical moment that already has global attention.” 

Funding round

• Australian recycling company Samsara Eco has raised an additional $65 million, bringing its total funding to over $100 million, to scale its enzymatic recycling technology for textiles and packaging. The Canberra-based company, which has worked with Lululemon, plans to build commercial facilities in Southeast Asia, with an aim to end plastic waste and support sustainability goals through innovative recycling methods.

Executive shifts

• LVMH announced the appointment of Alessandro Valenti as CEO of Givenchy as it waits to appoint a creative director.
• Fossil has appointed Ankura managing director Andrew Skobe as interim CFO following the departure of finance chief Sunil Doshi, who will leave the company on July 19. This change comes amid significant financial challenges for Fossil and follows the recent announcement of CEO Kosta Kartsotis stepping down after nearly 24 years.
• On Tuesday, Richemont promoted Vacheron Constantin executive officer Louis Ferla to CEO of Cartier, and Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Catherine Renier to CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels. Nicolas Bos, formerly CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels has been promoted to Richemont Group CEO. The moves come amid slowed demand for luxury products and uncertainties about the group’s future leadership.

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