Damart
| Public | |
| Industry | Mail Order, Retail |
| Founded | 1953 |
Key people | Paul Georges Despature, Board Chairman |
| Website | http://www.damart.com |
Damart is a French company which specialises in clothing. Established in 1953 the brand became a household name in France and the UK. Although the brand specialises in a material called Thermolactyl, known for its insulation qualities, the label has expanded to include fashion items for the senior's market.
Damart Brand
Damart is the most well known brand of a company, now called Damartex, which originated in France in 1953. It was founded by the Despature brothers and primarily manufactured thermal clothing using Thermolactyl fibre. Today the Damartex group employs around 4,000 people worldwide, with around 650 of these in the UK.[1] In 1976, Damart went public being listed on the Paris Stock Exchange. In 2003 Damart celebrated its 50th anniversary, with 130 stores across Europe and an active customer base of 10 million.
In the UK
In the UK, Damart has three offices. Two of these are located in West Yorkshire, one in Bingley (HQ), and one in Steeton (warehouse). There is also one located in Earby (mailings distribution centre). Earby shut in 2009 and all mailings are done from Steeton.
Damart has closed its physical UK retail stores and now operates as an online retailer.
Coronation Street
Many of Coronation Street's stars wear items from Damart's range when filming in order to keep out the cold conditions presented by the streets of Weatherfield.[2] Damart has also provided items for the wardrobe of some of the soap's characters over the years including Maggie Jones (Blanche Hunt) and Anne Kirkbride (Deirdre Barlow).
Breast cancer awareness
In 2002, Damart entered into partnership with the Breast Cancer Campaign and has since raised £82,000 for breast cancer awareness through sales of its limited edition pink vest.[3] The Pink Vest campaign has seen a publicity contribution from a number of stars over the years, the most recent being Alison King, Coronation Street's Carla Connor.[4]
Controversy
In 2005 Damart caused a stir by sending a promotional offer to many of its elderly customers, disguised as a red final reminder letter. The letter was entitled 'Final reminder from Damart's financial director' and had 'Account Settlement' pasted across the page.[5]
Worldwide
Damartex headquarters is in France. The company also has a presence in the USA, Japan, Australia, Belgium and Switzerland.
References
- ↑ "More than thermals!". About Us. Damart. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ↑ Evans, Fiona (2006-12-18). "Street stars in-vest in Bingley thermals!". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
- ↑ Bottomley, John. "Breast Cancer Campaign". Cause. Breast Cancer Campaign. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ↑ Tither, Helen (2007-11-06). "Fighting talk with Corrie's Alison King". Health and beauty features. Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2008-12-02.
- ↑ Bignall, Miles (2005-04-30). "Damart letter upsets elderly customers". The Guardian. Retrieved 2008-12-02.