The fashion designer Philipp Plein stands for eye-catching looks with lots of shine and glitter. But with the Plein Sport sports line, the designer wants to break new ground. Plein does not want to polarize people as much with his sports collection as he does with his fashion line, nor does the designer have the luxury world in his sights.
Experience has shown that sports collections that are developed from the fashion world do not always have an easy time finding the right place between fashion and sport and the very different sales channels. This also seems to be the case with Plein Sport, as the label originally had a different strategic direction. When the sports collection was launched in 2016, it was intended as an activewear addition to the luxurious clothing line. After a break in 2018 due to strategic decisions within the Plein Group, the sports line was restarted at Milan Fashion Week 2022. At the end of November 2023, the designer presented the collection for the first time at the Ispo in Munich, making it clear how he would like to position the line in the future .
Conception as an independent label
“Plein Sport is a stand-alone brand, it has nothing to do with our fashion collection,” explains Philipp Plein right at the beginning of the conversation at the Ispo in Munich. And this independence means that Plein Sport has its own distribution, its own price points and appeals to its own target group. Under no circumstances should the collection be seen as a second line to his fashion line, which is why the design is much cleaner, i.e. “without bling and without rhinestones,” he adds. Design should follow function. The reason: He doesn’t want to create competition within his own company, which is why he doesn’t want Plein Sport to be seen as a lifestyle collection, but rather offers products that his customers actually use for exercise.
The focus of the collection is on gym and sneakers
The collection consists of a clothing line for men and women, designed primarily for fitness and running. In total there are four collections per year, with a lot of carry-overs and not as trend-oriented as the clothing line. However, the focus is on shoes, which make up about 60 percent of the total collection. The sneakers are also geared towards sports. The line is rounded off by an extensive range of accessories, consisting of watches, bags and glasses, all of which are produced under license from well-known manufacturers. For example, the sports glasses come from the Italian eyewear manufacturer De Rigo, the watches from Timex, and the bags from Laipe.
There is also a licensed collection for golf including bags, which is currently only available in South Korea. “We started this in 2022 and already have around ten stores. There are plans to expand the collection to other markets,” Plein continued. A perfume license is expected to be added this year.
Target group in the middle price segment
Even without the bling, the collection, including accessories, clearly bears Plein’s signature. Silver puffer jackets, neon-colored glasses frames and sneakers with gold accents on the soles represent the typical Plein look. However, things are different when it comes to price points. The starting price for more discreet sneakers is around 90 euros in the UK, the most expensive models cost up to 500 euros. Clothing and bags are also in this price range. Plein sees great potential here: “Sportswear is a huge market with huge demand. Gym is the largest category, so that’s where our focus lies. Apart from the big brands, there aren’t that many competitors.” With Plein Sport he wants to offer a new option for retailers and consumers.
Stores will be opened in shopping centers
Plein also has very specific ideas about where he would like to meet his customers: in shopping centers. There he wants to offer the brand in areas between 100 and 200 square meters, “I’d rather have more locations than larger ones,” is Plein’s motto. Such areas do not require large collections and offer customers a good overview as soon as they walk in. The store design, which uses eye-catching light rings and was also visible at Ispo, also attracts attention. While other brands tend to focus on natural looks with wood in times of sustainability efforts, Plein takes a different approach and consciously sets new accents with technical-looking light installations.
There are still none of these Plein Sport stores in Germany, but there are already around 300 worldwide, according to the designer. For example in Rome, Barcelona, Las Vegas, Malta, Vienna and in some Eastern European countries. The first stores are also expected to open soon in Germany. The company operates some of its stores on its own, and there is also a franchise concept and classic wholesale. Plein Sport is also scheduled to be docked into the Intersport marketplace this year.
He wants to arouse desire among consumers with his Plein Sport Truck, which he likes to drive up to the shopping center before a store opens. As a mobile store, customers can make their first contact with the brand here. In addition to the potential in the sports market, Plein also likes the idea that sports fashion has to have a function. Plein: “We don’t want to polarize Sport with Plein. In fashion, brands are always polarizing; for example, some only like Prada, others only like Balenciaga. This is less common with sports brands; hardly anyone would say they only like Nike and not Adidas.”
