Page 17 - RLI July / August 2019

Never Stop

Learning

For GANT, it all began with shirts and they’ve never stopped

reinventing them since. Born in 1949, it’s a company that
is rich in legacy and history. In this article, RLI speaks with

current CEO Brian Grevy about the enduring legacy of the
brand and what the future looks like.

riven by the simple idea to never stop learning, of July. Outside of Portugal, a focus area is its continuing As a digital first company, the brand aligns a strong digital years the company has decided it was a good time to share
it is this belief that has guided the company expansion of the business across Asia. strategy with all the appropriate departments and execute this externally, to inspire the rest of the world to stay curious.
for 70 years ever since Bernard Gantmacher “On a brand side, we have a lot in the pipeline, with through organic and paid social, performance marketing and So what does Grevy feel lies ahead and what does he
Dfounded the shirt-making company in the some very exciting product launches, new and differentiated influencer collaborations. They have built a strong network of perceive to be the greatest challenge facing the brand?
college town of New Haven, Connecticut. marketing activities and hopefully the launch of a new flagship global top-tier and micro influencers that elevates its products “I see the biggest challenges to be the most significant
From Ivy League to American sportswear, GANT today format,” says Grevy. and conveys its messages. Social media is an excellent channel opportunities. For us it is to create a unified consumer journey
continues to define the casual-yet smart look in more than 800 Grevy believes staying at the cutting edge is crucial, as for the company to build a strong relationship with its across all touch points and to build the next generation of our
stores globally, with plans in place to continue opening stores, there is no doubt today’s consumer is all about trends, he customers and invite them to the world of GANT. operational foundation, enabling the new business to deliver
with 25 more planned to open their doors this year alone. believes that timeless trends are in higher demand than ever Over the last 70 years the company has created premium better services, this is of paramount importance. Looking
“In the past 12 months we have seen a growth in brand so retailers need to be smart. and high-quality products based on consumer needs and forward, the other key opportunity is the acceleration of
awareness, meaning our brand activities across all consumer “We want to stay authentic to our preppy American wants but without neglecting their fantastic heritage. transforming GANT into a leading sustainable lifestyle brand,
touch-points are resonating with our target consumer,” sportswear heritage, but also ensure we are relevant for today’s “When you put the consumer at the centre of everything and here we are making great strides with much more to come
explains Brian Grevy, CEO of GANT. “This is a result of consumer. One way of doing that is by reviving and modernising you do it simplifies your full value chain and places you in a on this topic,” Grevy concludes.
moving from 3 divisions to One GANT that allows us to be archived styles but also highlight innovation in materials and ‘sweet spot’ in the consumer’s eyes – I would say this is the
much more explicit in our communication and interaction fibres, this is pivotal to our evolution,” Grevy highlights. key to success,” explains Grevy. “By focusing on longevity in “We want to stay authentic to our preppy
with consumers and customers globally.” In the past few seasons GANT has worked very hard design and innovation in product, the foundations are being
The company has recently made a long-awaited comeback in to have a more unified offer across markets and they are laid to build a business that can withstand the inevitable American sportswear heritage, but also ensure
Portugal, a country where they have enjoyed a strong presence succeeding with this. Where they are aware they need challenges ahead.” we are relevant for today’s consumer. One way of
in the market since the 1990s, and during spring GANT Portugal differentiation they have plans for it. Examples of this are Never Stop Learning is the GANT ethos. The brand grew
became part of the GANT Group of subsidiaries. reversed seasonality, crucial differentiated selling periods like up on America’s East Coast and was influenced by the sense doing that is by reviving and modernising archived
The focus in Portugal is now on retail expansion across the Chinese New Year, material compositions for southern and of style found on the region’s college campuses. This ethos styles but also highlight innovation in materials
country. The first GANT store opened in Oeiras on 12 April northern hemisphere and launch dates for seasonal specific has also shaped the company’s internal culture and served as
and this was followed by the Amoreiras at the beginning products like swimwear. a driving force for innovation within the company. In recent and fibres, this is pivotal to our evolution”

16 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL JULY / AUGUST 2019 DECEMBER 2018 / JANUARY 2019 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL 31