French denim label Ddp has shrugged off its adolescent awkwardness. Originally launched as a streetwear brand for preteens and teens, Ddp recently repositioned itself as a contemporary men’s and women’s denim label.
“To be a strong brand, you need a strong target and powerful image,” said Thomas Hamelle, Ddp’s president. “We repositioned the brand to appeal to today’s ultraurban 20- to 35-year-old and then applied that image to junior and accessories lines.”
Today, the denim collection boasts sophisticated loose-fitting jeans for women that retail for around 100 euros, or $117 at current exchange rates. It’s backed by an elaborate fashion line comprising tops, blouses, dresses, skirts and coats. This year, Ddp opened a flagship in denim’s hottest strip in Paris, Rue Etienne Marcel, to celebrate the makeover.
Ddp has big ambitions. Hamelle plans to open a second Paris location in the summer, bringing the company’s total French door count to 13.
“The new store will be Ddp’s first concept store that will carry all the Ddp collections,” said Hamelle, who expects 2005 sales to increase 10 percent to 52 million euros, or $61.2 million.
Most recently, the brand, which also includes men’s wear, inked a licensing deal for swimwear and lingerie lines that will make their debuts in stores in the spring.
“The new Paris store will be the first window for the entire brand,” said Hamelle.
Ddp is looking to expand its business across international borders as well. Hamelle said he plans to open the first Ddp boutique in Milan next fall. Spain and Germany are also high on Ddp’s list for global expansion. Today, 12 percent of the company’s business is generated from export sales, a figure Hamelle aims to grow to 50 percent over the next five years as the company expands beyond its current 12 countries.
Meanwhile, Hamelle has been busy doubling the brand’s U.S. presence, showcasing the Ddp line in around 100 shops in the U.S., including The Lounge, Prohibit, Work in Progress and most recently Takashimaya in New York; Human Bliss, On Sunset and Rainbow Network in Los Angeles, and Galleria in Miami.