The fashion company Desigual closed 2021 in positive territory with a profit of three million euros, after losses of 83 million recorded in 2020, a year in which the coronavirus pandemic had an impact.
The group founded and controlled by Thomas Meyer achieved operating results (EBITDA) of 30 million euros, with revenues of 317 million euros. The company highlighted the consolidation of the online channel, which accelerated during 2020 and provided 31.6% of total sales (116 million) with an annual increase of 16% in 2021.
The firm considers the reorganization plan for the brand's store network, which began in 2019 and accelerated during the pandemic year, to be practically finished, reaching 408 single-brand establishments at the close of last year and presence in 109 countries.
The group's investments grew by 83% last year, reaching 33 million euros, which have been allocated to the aforementioned remodeling of stores and the improvement of logistics processes and information technologies to boost digital growth.
The brand expects "to continue growing at double digits in 2022," said the company's general director, Alberto Ojinaga. Forecasts confirm the evolution of sales so far this year, as from January to last March they grew by 15% compared to the same period in 2021, driven by the good performance of the digital business.
Ojinaga explained that 2021 was "a year of acceleration of key projects" and highlighted that the return to profits ahead of schedule and maintaining a financial structure that he defined as healthy and without debt, with "a net positive cash of 103 million" at the close of the last fiscal year, according to a company statement.
Among the actions carried out in 2021, the company highlights the implementation of the four-day work week in the group's central offices in Barcelona ---where 500 of the total 2,700 employees work--- and the accelerator of startups Awesome Lab, to promote the implementation of advanced technological solutions and the culture of innovation within the group. The initiative involves seven international emerging companies and initial resources of one million euros.