Henri Lloyd revamp proceeds with new logo

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
May 28, 2019

The new owners of sailing brand Henri Lloyd have unveiled a new logo that signals a return to its heritage as they try to forge a new path ahead.

Now in the hands of a group of Swedish investors led by Hans Eckerström, founder of Aligro Group, and CEO Magnus Liljeblad, the British brand is understood to be returning to the market this year after falling into administration in 2018.

Its new owners are keen on repositioning Henri Lloyd as the premier brand for yachtsmen and sailors around the world.

Speaking about the process, chairman and controlling shareholder Hans Eckerström said: “We have looked deeply and respectfully into the history of our brand – the aim has been to reconnect with our heritage and focus on striving to produce the best sailing gear in the world.

“We believe that there is a significant opportunity for the brand to thrive in the wider market through the development of our apparel range. In order to achieve our full potential, we must again position the Henri Lloyd name as being highly exclusive and we will always be very selective about where the product can be bought and which brands it sits alongside.”

The new phase of Henri Lloyd is being kicked off on 29 May with the launch of a limited-edition capsule collection inspired by a key moment in sailing history, when Dennis Conner won the 1987 America’s Cup.

But the renewed focus on quality and exclusivity will mean Henri Lloyd will be less readily available than before, with only a select number of retailers chosen to carry the brand.

“In order that we can position Henri Lloyd exclusively we will not compete on price as a main selling point and as such our distribution channels and pricing will reflect this,” said CEO Magnus Liljeblad.

“In practical terms this means we estimate that we will be dealing with 80% less retailers than in the past and so allow us to focus 100% on selected key relationships, which we believe will be critical to success.”

He concluded: “It is without doubt an exciting time for all concerned with the brand and it is important that we move forward ensuring we are true to our values. Henri Lloyd has always had a conscience and we will build further on this, it is our pledge that whilst we grow we will strive for sustainability and engage ourselves for a better world. This is a theme that we will build upon and talk more about the future.”