One of Belgium's well-known lingerie manufacturers, Van de Velde, achieved a "strong growth" in the first half of 2021 despite the impact of the coronavirus measures, the company announced.
Van de Velde, which is known for brands such as PrimaDonna, Marie Jo and Andres Sarda, recorded a turnover of €97.6 million from January to June - almost a third more than in the same period in 2020.
"Lingerie sales recovered very strongly and almost reached the level of the first half of 2019," announced Van de Velde, making the comparison to the year before the pandemic started.
While the retail sector was hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with measures like lockdowns, the closing of non-essential stores and the requirement to shop alone, 2021 is seeing a lot more relaxed rules.
However, sales of bathroom linen have not yet recovered, likely due to "the many restrictions and uncertainties regarding travel in spring 2021 and the high stocks at our retail partners," said Van de Velde.
Outside of Europe, Van de Velde will retain three physical shops in the United States, but one shop in New York was closed in mid-August.
