Delpozo to relaunch in 2024 with a new structure and creative team

The Spanish fashion brand, Delpozo, is preparing for its comeback after downsizing its business in 2019. Founded in Madrid in 1974 by designer Jesús del Pozo and acquired by fragrance and design group Perfumes y Diseño (PyD) in 2011, Delpozo will return to the market in 2024, coinciding with its 50th anniversary.

For this new phase, the brand will adopt a fresh structure. PyD will “maintain a stake in the new company promoting the project, although it will not be involved in its day-to-day management,” according to a statement released by the company on Thursday, July 13.

Delpozo will be supported by a panel of investors led by Joaquín Trías and Enrique Mellado. The business duo, Trías-Mellado, “bring extensive experience in the fashion industry and the audiovisual sector, driving new business models…proposing a new understanding of luxury that will be implemented in the revival of Casa Delpozo,” explained PyD. Details regarding the financial aspects of the operation have not been disclosed.

Both entrepreneurs have a low-profile presence and collaborate together at the business firm TWoA, which has limited available information.

What will Delpozo look like in this new phase? That seems to be the million-dollar question, and Perfumes y Diseño has provided some insights: “The Spanish luxury brand will be reborn on its 50th anniversary, showcasing the creative legacy of Jesús del Pozo, the founder of the eponymous brand in 1974, as well as the successful and ambitious international expansion undertaken by PyD since 2011.”

Regarding design, Perfumes y Diseño has announced that the relaunch will be “guided by a new strategic and creative team” who will implement “a disruptive business model that will establish a new paradigm for the house.” When contacted by FashionNetwork.com, the Spanish fragrance and cosmetics development and distribution company declined to provide further details about the team, apart from the involvement of Joaquín Trías and Enrique Mellado.

As for investor Joaquín Trías, he has a notable presence in the fashion world. In 2009, he presented his first collection at New York Fashion Week. His eponymous brand ceased operations in 2013 due to the impact of the financial crisis.

According to several industry sources, Delpozo’s plans for the upcoming year may include a presentation or runway show during Paris Fashion Week or Haute Couture, reminiscent of the brand’s grand moments in London or New York. However, the maison has not yet confirmed this information. When contacted by FashionNetwork.com, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris stated that the participating brands for the upcoming events have not been confirmed.

Over the coming months, the revitalized project is expected to take shape, with details gradually being revealed.

From creative success to challenging years

Delpozo experienced a period of success and international consolidation with its unique “prêt-à-couture” proposition under the creative direction of Josep Font. Font’s work is currently being honored with a monographic exhibition at the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum.

The brand had a presence in 26 markets, showcased its collections at New York and London Fashion Weeks, and had flagship boutiques all over the world. In September 2018, Josep Font left the creative helm of the brand, and at the end of the same year, Lutz Huelle was appointed as the creative director. However, the collaboration did not materialize. The first complete collection by the German designer for the Spanish house never came to fruition, and their collaboration only resulted in a capsule collection with Anthropologie. As a result, Lutz Huelle and Delpozo put an end to their collaboration in spring 2021.

“I just hope everything goes well for Delpozo and that it continues to live on. It is such a beautiful maison… It simply wasn’t the right moment,” expressed the German designer with bitterness to FashionNetwork.com upon his departure from the Spanish house. He continues to lead his eponymous brand.

Since the workforce reduction in 2019, which led to the departure of 20 employees, Delpozo’s future has been increasingly uncertain. While Perfumes y Diseño sought investors to recover Delpozo from its poor financial performance, the operation never materialized.

This move was intended to allow the Spanish company to focus on its specialized sectors while delegating the management of Delpozo to an “industrial partner” with the necessary capabilities to handle the brand. It is worth noting that between 2013 and 2016, Perfumes y Diseño had already invested 5.5 million euros in the consolidation and initial relaunch of Delpozo under the creative direction of Josep Font.

By the end of 2018, Delpozo’s sales reached 3.5 million euros, while losses exceeded 3.8 million euros. This negative outlook contrasted with the 6.4 million euros in sales recorded in 2015 and the ambition of achieving 10 million euros in revenue in 2019.

Between the failed sale in 2019 and Lutz Huelle’s departure in 2021, the brand gradually downsized its business, including the closure of all its stores and points of sale, as well as the departure of the then-CEO, Pablo Badía. The end of Delpozo was marked by the sad sale of remaining items from past collections at its store on Madrid’s Calle Lagasca, with discounts on luxury items reaching up to 95%, as announced by the brand itself.