Fashion Briefing: How Farm Rio and Marimekko Used Signature Prints to Boost Sales

Including a print within the codes of major brands offers fashion brands significant advantages, in terms of expansion across new categories and collaborations in a market where similarity is too common.

Brands that have become known for their prints have seized the opportunity to get into this type of design. This is the case for Finnish design company Marimekko, founded 73 years ago, and Brazilian fashion brand Farm Rio, founded 27 years ago. Marimekko’s Unikko poppy print is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary.

According to Sanna-Kaisa Niikko, CMO of Marimekko, prints are the foundation of the brand. “For the founder of Marimekko, the goal was to bring joy into people’s everyday lives. [through color and print]“It was more of a lifestyle than a fashion brand.”

This philosophy has allowed Marimekko to expand its reach beyond clothing to interest customers in categories such as home, decor and 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 allowed it to launch various product lines and collaborations. Its sold-out collaboration with Adidas helped increase the brand’s visibility outside of Brazil, leading to its own expansion into wholesale, e-commerce and retail.

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

Prints can make a brand easily recognizable when products inspired by trends like understated luxury and sport, for example, often appear homogenous.

“Our strong and recognizable identity allows customers to emotionally connect with the brand and feel part of the Brazilian lifestyle,” Barreto said. “Prints allow us to stand out in categories like outerwear, which we launched two years ago. We are now focusing on launching our footwear and handbag categories.”

In 2023, Marimekko’s net sales increased by 5% to $174.1 million ($189 million). Its international sales increased by 10%, driven by strong performances in Asia Pacific and North America. In 2023, Marimekko opened 19 stores, including 17 in Asia and flagships in New York and Copenhagen. It also renovated its Stockholm store. The company plans to open 10 to 15 new stores in 2024, mainly in Asia. The brand is publicly traded and has 167 stores worldwide.

Prints also make collaborations easy: one brand’s popular print is often added to another brand’s popular style. Farm Rio, meanwhile, 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 more than 100 stores in Brazil and has been focusing on international expansion through 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 connecting with leading wholesale partners. In the United States, this includes Shopbop, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bloomingdale's.

This approach has led to steady 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, Brooklyn and Washington DC. Internationally, it has stores in Paris, London, Milan, Turkey and Greece.

First sales figures

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

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

Olympic Games Information

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

Because of their ability to connect global audiences and bring them closer to sport, the Olympics are an ideal amplification platform for brands of all sizes, said Alison Bring, CMO at Launchmetrics. It’s a golden opportunity, not only because of its volume and visibility, but also because of its convenience. To make the most of this moment, brands should focus on how their activations can complement sporting events, rather than interrupt them. Leveraging the organic flow of the Olympics generates awareness and embeds brands in a historic moment that already has global attention.

Financing round

• Australian recycling company Samsara Eco has raised an additional $65 million, bringing its total funding to more than $100 million, to develop its enzymatic textile and packaging recycling technology. The Canberra-based company, which has worked with Lululemon, plans to build commercial facilities in Southeast Asia, with the aim of ending plastic waste and supporting sustainability goals through innovative recycling methods.

Changes in direction

• LVMH has announced the appointment of Alessandro Valenti as CEO of Givenchy pending the appointment of an artistic director.
• Fossil has named Ankura CEO Andrew Skobe as interim CFO, following the departure of CFO Sunil Doshi, who will leave the company on July 19. The move comes amid significant financial challenges for Fossil and follows the recent announcement that CEO Kosta Kartsotis will step down after nearly 24 years.
• On Tuesday, Richemont promoted Louis Ferla, CEO of Vacheron Constantin, to CEO of Cartier, and Catherine Renier, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, to CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels. Nicolas Bos, former CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, was promoted to CEO of the Richemont group. The appointments come amid a slowdown in demand for luxury goods and uncertainty over the group's future.

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