The 2012 financial year saw continued growth for the Porsche Design Group (Porsche Lizenz- und Handelsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG). Sales for the luxury brand’s franchising business increased by more than 52 per cent in comparison with the previous year, while its own retail operations recorded growth in the region of 94 per cent. The Porsche Driver’s Selection vehicle-focused brand also performed very positively in the year-on-year comparison. Across all business segments, in the last financial year the Porsche Design Group’s turnover rose by more than 45 per cent to 116.2 million euros (previous year: 79.8 million euros).
“Over the last financial year, our Porsche Design luxury brand has once again proven the strong international demand for German luxury goods,” commented Juergen Gessler, CEO of the Porsche Design Group. “We are particularly pleased with the development of our fashion collection. This still relatively new area already accounts for the largest proportion of sales in our retail business. We were also very pleased with the performance of the P‘9981 smartphone, developed in cooperation with BlackBerry, which contributed to this strong growth. In the new financial year, we are focusing in particular on the target group of women. Although Porsche Design has always had a women’s range, it has never been quite so comprehensive as in 2013. The launch of our first women’s handbag represents a clear initial step: the Porsche Design TwinBag made its world debut in our stores on 1 March. We are also entering new markets, with the opening of the first stores in our own retail network in China.”
In the 2012 financial year, the company also opened its own retail stores in Munich and Berlin (Germany) and in Hong Kong (China). Many new franchise stores, including Istanbul (Turkey), Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Toronto (Canada), Salt Lake City and Houston (both USA) as well as Mexico City (Mexico), have further strengthened global distribution.
Juergen Gessler: “We are very proud of the strong and growing demand for our philosophy over the last 40 years. Consumers are placing increasing importance on durability and sustainability. We are pleased to note that this view is shared by our partners, in addition to our customers and ourselves. For example, in 2012, Porsche Design was singled out by Harrods department store for two distinctions – the ‘Exclusive Launch Award’ and the ‘Sales Density Award’, based on the highest sales recorded per square metre. Within the space of a year, we have worked our way up to become the most successful brand in Harrods.
The activities of the Porsche Design Group revolve around its divisions of Porsche Design, Porsche Driver’s Selection and the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See (Austria).
Porsche Design is a luxury brand with a particular focus on technically inspired products. The brand was founded in 1972 by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, whose products have stood for functional, timeless and purist design ever since. The products are designed in the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See, Austria and sold around the world in the company’s own stores, shop-in-shops, high end department stores, exclusive specialist retailers as well as the official online shop.
Source: Press Release Porsche Company
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