German Lingerie Brand Triumph to Pull Out of China by End of 2025
Udumbara
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German lingerie brand Triumph International will fully withdraw from China by the end of 2025, ending a 33-year presence in a market it helped shape by popularizing the underwire bra.
The move comes as China’s economy continues to slow and consumer spending shifts toward cheaper goods. Japan’s high-end lingerie brand Wacoal has also been steadily closing stores in China.
According to reports published on China’s state-controlled media, including Sina, Triumph will shut down all its physical counters and stores in the country by Dec. 31. Some Triumph employees have begun receiving internal notices about the nationwide closure. However, employees said they did not know whether the company intends to keep operating online.
At one Triumph store in a downtown Hangzhou mall, a salesperson said the outlet had not yet received explicit closure instructions and was still running regular promotions rather than clearance sales, according to local media. But staff at another outlet mall in the city confirmed that a full exit is planned for the end of this year.
Founded in 1886 in Heubach, Germany, and now headquartered in Switzerland, Triumph is one of the world’s largest lingerie manufacturers, with operations in 50 countries. Its brands include Triumph, Sloggi, and BeeDees.
Triumph’s presence in China dates back to 1979, when it began contract manufacturing in the country. Starting in 1992, the company built out a localized production and retail network. As one of the earliest foreign brands to introduce underwire bras to China, Triumph further boosted its visibility with a touring lingerie fashion show in 2001–2002 that traveled through 30 cities over 100 days, introducing the new underwire concept to a generation of Chinese consumers.
Part of a Broader Trend
Triumph’s exit is not an isolated case. Japanese lingerie company Wacoal Holdings closed nearly 10 percent of its stores in China during the 2024 fiscal year, which ended in March, according to a report by Nikkei Asia. The company planned to close additional unprofitable store locations next year.Wacoal China’s revenue from April to December is projected at 6.7 billion yen (approximately $42.69 million), down 12 percent year over year, with an operating loss of 447 million yen (approximately $2.85 million).
Wacoal executive vice president Akira Miyagi cited shifting consumer behavior: “Customers [in China] are moving away from the higher price ranges [where Wacoal has an advantage] and toward mid- and low-price products.”
American lingerie giant Victoria’s Secret has undergone a similar retreat. The company closed its largest Beijing store, located in the city’s high-end WF Central mall, in 2023. It had already exited the Hong Kong market in 2020.
