There has been a major shift in menswear in recent years, with men wearing fewer suits as working from home became the norm, and fashion brand Profuomo is looking to address this new hybrid style with a renewed focus on smart casual and sporty aesthetic.
The contemporary Dutch brand rebranded in 2021 with a ‘timeless comfort’ approach to its menswear, emphasising smart causal and timeless styles utilising sustainably certified materials, as it looks to future proof the business as well as reposition itself to a wider target market.
This expansion requires seamless logistics and fulfilment, and we spoke to Harry van der Zee, chief executive officer at Profuomo, to find out more about how it has been working with Modexpress for more than 10 years, and its goals for the future.
Why did Profuomo select Modexpress as its logistics service provider over 10 years ago?
We looked at the best combination/mix of a fair price and service matching a certain KPI-level. Business-to-business and business-to-consumer delivered from one warehouse/stock.
How has the partnership developed over the years?
We started in 2012 with one collection, and in 2014, the complete stock was moved to Modexpress. In the beginning no business-to-consumer, now it is 10 percent of our daily business.
What are some of the benefits Profuomo has experienced working with Modexpress?
Flexibility on outbound quantities and very quick inbound lead-time for both our business-to-business and business-to-consumer operations.
Do you consider Modexpress to be a flexible logistics service provider?
Yes, but it is important that there is a good understanding regarding planning information, so in time planning information and preparation is crucial.
How has Modexpress helped Profuomo overcome the challenges faced by the pandemic and Brexit? For us, Brexit was not a serious problem; Profuomo UK customers are now being processed just as other non-EU customers, with the same procedures we use for Norway and Switzerland.
Profuomo recently rebranded to highlight ‘Timeless comfort’ – what was the thinking behind that?
Men’s fashion is shifting from classic formal to hybrid. With ‘Timeless Comfort,’ we have taken a new path towards fashion for every moment of the week and not just an outfit for the office. Work and private life are merging more and more.
In addition, working from home has an influence on how people dress. The need for comfortable clothing has also increased because of this. Furthermore, “timeless” also refers to sustainability, which is a core value of our brand proposition. Finally, Timeless Comfort does not only refer to the clothing, but it should also be a customer experience when doing business with Profuomo.
What are Profuomo’s growth and EU aspirations and how will Modexpress help facilitate these?
Our ambition is to grow rapidly in all our distribution channels. Both business-to-business and business-to-consumer. Besides further strengthening our position in the home market, further growth in Germany and Belgium is high on the agenda.
Modexpress is a good and reliable logistics partner for this, also for further growth in our export markets.
With the boom in menswear – how important is seamless logistics and fulfilment to the success of Profuomo?
Well, that is also one of the key indicators for us as timeless comfort also means that we want to service our customers as good as possible. And Modexpress needs to be capable accomplishing this.
Cor Noorlander, chief commercial officer at Modexpress, added: “Our partnership is now 10 years old and has reached a high level of professionalism. Moreover, we have come to know Profuomo as a company with which it is extremely pleasant to work. Modexpress looks forward continuing to facilitate further growth through the various distribution channels.”
