Triumph sells Hom to the Huber group

By

Anaïs Lerévérend

Published
Jan 16, 2015

Triumph International intends to refocus its business on women’s underwear, its core specialty, while Huber is aiming to expand its portfolio as regards the men’s upscale underwear segment. These matching interests have led to the former’s sale of the brand Hom to the latter.

The Marseille-based men’s underwear brand, which was founded in 1968, has been owned by the Swiss-German group Triumph International since 1986. Now, in 2015, it is being sold to the Austrian group Huber, which already includes the brands Huber, Hanro and Skinny, as well as the manufacturer Arula. 

As part of the deal, the details of which haven’t been disclosed, the Austrian group guarantees that it will not move Hom’s headquarters, which are in Marseille, and it will not change the company’s current organization, which has been overseen by general manager Régine Weimar since 2005. 

Hom has carved out a nice place for itself in the French high-end men's underwear market, working with major retailers such as department stores Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. The brand is also distributed in twenty countries, mostly in Asia. As France and Asia are two areas in which Huber doesn't yet have a very strong presence, the deal should prove complimentary, with possible new developments for Hom in northern and eastern Europe, or even in the United States.

Another possible collaboration welcomed by Régine Weimar, the manufacturing: "Huber Holding's integrated production sites will allow the brand to increase productivity while maintaining a high level of quality as well as a unique style," she says. 

As for Triumph International, its business is now centered on two brands: Triumph, with a mid-range positioning, and Sloggi, in a more accessible niche.