History of the brand
The 1960s

  • 1968, San Francisco: Susie and Doug Tompkins begin to sell the first fashion line from the boot of their estate car.

The 1970s

  • 1971, Hong Kong: The Esprit Far East Group is born when Susie and Doug Tompkins meet Michael Ying, the former Group Chairman and Shareholder of Esprit.
  • San Francisco: The company is founded and registered under the name of Esprit de Corp.
  • 1976, Düsseldorf: Esprit starts out in Germany under the name Esprit de Corp. with young sportswear and rapidly develops into one of the most successful fashion brands on the European market. CEO Jürgen Friedrich establishes the Esprit European Headquarters in Düsseldorf.
  • 1978, San Francisco: For the first time ever, turnover exceeds 100 million US dollars. Independent Esprit companies are founded in Germany and Hong Kong.
  • New York: John Casado designs the famous Esprit logo with the interrupted lettering.

The 1980s

  • 1986, Cologne: Esprit opens its first German store in Cologne. The revolutionary design line for architecture and interior design in the Memphis design is the inspiration of Ettore Sottsass.
  • 1987, San Francisco: Susie and Doug Tompkins draw attention to the growing AIDS epidemic with an AIDS campaign.
  • 1989, San Francisco: The Japanese art publisher Robundo publishes “Esprit, the Comprehensive Design Principle”, the corporate design manual.

The 1990s

  • 1992, San Francisco: Esprit initiates the worldwide campaign “What would you do to change the world?”
  • 1993, Hong Kong: Esprit Holdings Ltd is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
  • 1995, New York: The Esprit licences Esprit eyewear, timewear, bath+bed, socks+tights complete the Esprit lifestyle world.
  • 1996, USA: Esprit is voted 28th in the USA’s 100 most recognised brands.
  • 1998, Düsseldorf: Launch of the young line edc by Esprit.

2000 to date

  • 2000, Hong Kong: Esprit Holdings Ltd is among the shares listed in the Morgan Stanley MSCI Hong Kong Index.
  • 2001, Düsseldorf: Esprit’s brand recognition grows to 84 per cent in Germany.
  • 2003, New York: Esprit Holdings Ltd completely buys back the American brand rights and has since been one of the few global companies with 100 per cent worldwide ownership of a brand.
  • Düsseldorf: Heinz Krogner is appointed Deputy Chairman and Group CEO of Esprit Holdings Ltd. A global strategy for Asia, Australia, Europe, South America, USA and Canada is passed – the bundling of global functions in wholesale, retail, licences, visual, image and design. The Global Business Headquarters in Düsseldorf is the worldwide business centre of excellence and the Hong Kong financial centre has global responsibility for the brand.
  • Ratingen: The Company moves into the Global Business Headquarters Ratingen.
  • 2004, Ratingen: An exhibition is held in honour of Ettore Sottsass at the Global Business Headquarters. The designer and founder of the Memphis style shaped the design and the architecture of the Esprit stores and showrooms worldwide.
  • 2005, London: Esprit establishes the first Esprit Academy for the promotion of young junior talents from various fields. This is kicked off by cooperation with the London School of Fashion.
  • 2007, Ratingen: edc by Esprit becomes an independent brand with an independent team and its own strategy. edc by Esprit mono-brand stores present the complete edc product range.
  • Berlin/Ratingen: MTV Networks International and edc by Esprit announce the extensive partnership with MTV Europe Music Awards 2007.
  • Berlin: Esprit sponsors the United Nations photo exhibitions “Chasing the dream”.
  • 2008, Ratingen: Esprit launches the new label de.corp ESPRIT URBAN CASUAL young, urban and feminine.
  • Alibaug/India: layering of the cornerstone for the Esprit-financed SOS Children’s Village.
  • 2009, Düsseldorf: Esprit is new sponsor for the Arena Düsseldorf since July 1st
  • Hong Kong: Ronald van der Vis is appointed Group CEO of Esprit Holdings Ltd. on November 1st
  • 2010, Alibaug/India: opening of the SOS-Children’s Village as biggest cooperation project between SOS Children’s Villages worldwide and Esprit.
  • In order to strengthen the profile of the Esprit brand, two new positions were created on 1 October. Jörgen Andersson is now Director Brand & New Business and Jan Nord is Creative Director Brand & New Business. Both have come from H&M, where they spent many years in similar positions. They report directly to CEO Ronald van der Vis.
  • 2011, Germany/Australia/Great Britain: Esprit, announces the launch of ‘Esprit Limited Edition’, a platform for creative and engaging collaborations and projects
  • The Capsule lines were launched in September: Gostwyck merino, made from the ethically sourced wool of merino sheep from Gostwyck Farm in Australia, and Esprit RCA Ltd Edition, a creative cooperation with talented designers from the renowned British Royal College of Art.
  • In October, ‘The Perfect Four’ followed – an Esprit Men Special made from original Woolrich® fabric.
  • The international lifestyle brand Esprit welcomes the new season with an homage to the Esprit woman. The Iconic campaign for Fall 2011 presents a new look and a charismatic face. International top model Gisele Bündchen embodies easy elegance, charisma and naturalness and is therefore perfectly suited to the Californian spirit of the Esprit brand.
  • On 15 September, Esprit announced a four-year transformation programme. By investing a total of 1.7 billion Euros, the Group aims to strengthen its brand and profitability. The program comprises extensive investment in stores, products and marketing. Esprit announced that it will no longer operate in unprofitable locations and stores, including across North America. The company will also promote its growth in China with the intention of doubling its turnover there by 2014/15. As well as the closure of 80 other retail shops outside the USA, Esprit announced the opening of 185 new retail stores and 200 new franchise stores (not including China) by 2014/15.
  • On 15 November, this year’s Esprit Christmas campaign ‘Make Your Wish’ was launched. The ‘Make Your Wish’ campaign sees Esprit revisit a theme from its past, as the campaign is based on Esprit’s Real People campaigns of the 1990s.
  • As part of the Esprit ‘Make Your Wish’ campaign for 2011, Esprit is presenting a one-off online cooperation with photographer and blogging icon Yvan Rodic, otherwise known as Facehunter.