With his rhinestone-studded collections, Philipp Plein is considered the “King of Bling” in the fashion world. Now, for the first time, he has set his sights on the mass market with his Plein Sport line. This year, mono-brand stores are to be opened worldwide, and sales via the Intersport marketplace are set to start.
Glamorous luxury fashion is Philipp Plein’s specialty. With its Philipp Plein and Billionaire brands, the Lugano-based Plein Group caters to a clientele willing to pay up to €66,000 for shirts made of genuine crocodile leather. Now, with Plein Sport, the German fashion designer is, for the first time, aiming an extensive sports collection at the mass market rather than at luxury customers.
Plein Sport is not a new development, having been launched back in 2016. At the time, though, it was still intended as an activewear supplement to the Philipp Plein luxury fashion line. In recent years, sport and fashion have converged, and the collections have come into competition. This is exactly what Plein wants to avoid with the new direction of the sports line.
“Plein Sport is a stand-alone brand; it has nothing to do with our fashion collection,” says Philipp Plein. And he means that seriously: Plein Sport has its own distribution, has its own price points and appeals to its own target group. Under no circumstances does he want the collection to be seen as a second line to his fashion label or as a pure lifestyle collection. This is why the design is much cleaner, “without bling-bling and rhinestones,” as Plein explains, adding: “The focus is on function. Customers should really do sport with the products.”
After a break in 2018, the sports line was relaunched at Milan Fashion Week 2022. Then, at the end of November 2023, the designer presented the collection to a sports trade show audience, Ispo Munich’s, for the first time.
Collections for fitness and running
The collection includes men’s and women’s apparel, mostly for fitness and running. Sneakers account for around 60 percent of the collection. Plein sees great potential here: “Sportswear is a multi-billion-dollar market with huge demand. Fitness is the biggest category, so that’s where we focus.” Another advantage: the competition among sports brands is clearer: “Apart from the big brands, there aren’t many players,” says Plein. With Plein Sport, the designer wants to offer retailers and consumers a new option.
There will be four collections per year, with individual highlight models and many carry-overs. The line is rounded off by a comprehensive range of accessories, including watches, bags and eyewear, all produced under license by renowned manufacturers. The eyewear comes from Italian manufacturer De Rigo, the watches from Timex and the bags from Laipe. A perfume license will be added this year. There is also a licensed golf collection, including bags, which is currently available only in South Korea. “We launched this in 2022 and already have about ten stores.” There are plans to expand the collection to other markets.
But even without a lot of bling, the collection and its accessories clearly bear Plein’s signature. Silver puffer jackets, neon mirrored glasses and sneakers with gold soles represent the typical Plein look. The price ranges, however, speak a new language. The entry-level retail price for more discreet sneakers is around €90, while the most expensive models cost up to €500. Clothing and bags are in the same price range.
Focus on shopping centers
Plein already knows where he wants to find his customers: at shopping centers. He plans to present the brand in spaces of 100 to 200 square meters. “More locations are better than bigger ones” is Plein’s motto. Such spaces do not require large collections and offer customers a good overview even from the outside. The store design is also eye-catching, the illuminated rings making them stand out from the stores of other brands with their sustainability-inspired natural looks and wood.
Plein’s company is heading for a turnover of €220 million this year after losing €110 million during the pandemic, according to Plein. Next year, this figure is set to rise to €260 million. He wants to open 300 stores within the next three years. Plein Sport already has several stores in places like Rome, Barcelona, Las Vegas, Malta, Vienna and some Eastern European countries. It operates some of these itself, but there is also a franchise concept and classic wholesale. In addition, Plein Sport will be making its debut on the Intersport marketplace this year.
