The quintessential French seductive lingerie brand celebrates 60 years in 2018. Underlines caught up with Martina Brown, Deputy General Manager, to find out how they hope to develop Aubade’s international presence after a number of new key appointments earlier this year.
Martina has been at Aubade since October 2015 and her role is a broad one encompassing everything that will ultimately internationalise the brand – marketing, innovation and communication. “There is a new enthusiasm and confidence in the company, we have built up a team to refresh and renew Aubade in export markets and with the development and innovation we have initiated, we have the products to expand in those markets.”
Alongside the considerable product developments, their famous and long-running ‘lessons in seduction’ has been replaced with a new marketing campaign ‘Parlez-vous Aubade?’ with a hashtag of #SpeakAubade. The campaign cleverly retains the Parisian chic appeal of Aubade but in a modern and contemporary two-way communication platform.
Germany and the UK/Ireland are key targets for the company as Martina explains: “Of course we are trying to expand all markets but we see great potential in the UK and Germany. One of the major developments has been a much deeper range of cup sizes in luxury and seductive products such as our balcony bras some of which offer G cups. It means that the Aubade brand with its playful, seductive and charming nature will be accessible to many more women.”
And in this drive to reach a bigger audience, the company has extended availability with a never out of stock programme on permanent lines or as they call it ‘daily seduction’. “Again I think this makes us quite unique – to offer beautiful, functional and sensual ranges such as Lysessence and Rosessence. Lysessence has no less than 5 bra shapes – comfort moulded bandeau, three-quarter cup, moulded plunge, spacer T-shirt bra and comfort full cup (the latter 2 being offered in G cups) with a choice of 4 briefs in black and natural. The range has been designed so it can mix and match with the garments in the Rosessence collection.
For the fashion ranges Martina says: “the inspiration for fashion lingerie in SS2019 is yin and yang to create a balance across and within the collection. As always Aubade will offer signature and fresh prints, a hallmark of our brand, with huge attention to finish and detail: intricate embroideries, lace, delicate and seductive finishes.”
Aubade is one of a very few brands that also has a substantial men’s underwear collection and this year they have a fun project for a calendar with the men’s rugby team, Stade Français, taking a light-hearted but body conscious approach. Reflecting the yin and yang the most feminine underwear brand has linked up with an ultra-masculine rugby team. Martina adds: “this is something very new for us and it was great fun as we did all the visuals in the rugby stadium.” There are seven men’s boxer short styles with the logo of corroboration.
At the moment just over 70% of the company’s products are sold domestically, “We are a famous French brand, one of the best known for both products and marketing campaign, and I believe with our new sales team we are in a great position to extend the Aubade brand into many other markets.”
