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PROFILE

Vives Vidal, Vivesa S.A. was created in 1949, although it was not until 1972 that it adopted a Europe-wide dimension, when it opened a production plant in Portugal. In 1989, it acquired the Lyons-based company Gemma and in 1990, the Parisian label Bilytis. In 1991, it took over JBE, an established group in Grenoble, and Niort which sells the Carina and Lou labels.

In 1992, the company became part of the VF Corporation, based in Greensboro (North Carolina). The group’s labels include Lee, Wrangler, Riders, Rustler, Maverick, Vassarette, JanSport, Red Kap, Vanity Fair, Bestform, Lily of France, Vassarette, North Face and Eastpack.

In 1993, Vives Vidal began production and global distribution of the swimwear label Tropic and at the end of the same year acquired the major assets of Central Corsetera, including the Belcor label. In summer 1995, it started designing and producing the new European collections for Vanity Fair.

In 1998, VF Corporation appointed Pere Prat president of VF International Intimates, whose European operations are run from Igualada (Barcelona). Prat brought together the group’s entire lingerie companies and labels at all distribution channels.

Vives Vidal now heads the VF Boutique, VF Diffusion and Private Label divisions in Europe. The group manufactures and distributes Belcor, Bolero, Gemma, Intima Cherry, Lou, Variance, Vassarette, Bestform in lingerie and Belcor and Majestic in swimwear as its own labels. It also operates a licence for Nike swimwear.

The group has companies in Germany, Benelux, France, Italy, Portugal and USA, and sells to most industrialised countries.