Thanks to long-standing partnerships with brands such as BOSS, Tommy Hilfiger, and Lacoste, Movado continues its growth by participating in Bijorhca for the first time, alongside “Who’s Next,” to increase its visibility and reach new local and French customers.
You are well-known for your expertise in men’s jewellery and watchmaking. Can you tell us more about the brands you work with?
"For over twenty years, we have forged strong partnerships with several heritage brands, including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, both of which belong to the same fashion group. We also hold licenses to produce watches for Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, and Coach. Recently, we’ve been expanding our presence in the jewellery segment, a rapidly growing category."
Why did you choose to focus on the men’s jewellery sector?
"It’s a natural extension of our core business, particularly in the men’s segment, though we also offer women’s ranges. We first ventured into men’s jewellery with BOSS and Tommy Hilfiger and later with Lacoste, a successful strategy thanks to synergies in distribution, as many of these brands overlap in their target markets."
Are you seeing a boom in the men’s jewellery market?
"Absolutely! Just a few years ago, it was a niche category, flying almost under the radar. Today, it’s gaining momentum, especially with younger generations. For example, our primary target audience for Lacoste jewellery is people aged 15 to 25."
Although the Movado Group is based in the United States, you enjoy a strong European presence.
"Yes, we have around 1,200 employees worldwide, with our headquarters in the United States, near New York. We also have offices in Europe, including our European headquarters in Switzerland—the home of watchmaking. We also have distribution subsidiaries in several countries, including France, the UK, Germany, and, most recently, Spain, which we established two years ago. Over the past fifteen years, we’ve become a truly international group."
Is Europe a key market for watchmaking and jewellery?
"Europe accounts for 35-40% of our total sales, and France, in particular, is one of our most attractive markets. A presence at Bijorhca in Paris is essential for us."
Is this your first time exhibiting at Bijorhca, alongside “Who’s Next”?
"Yes, it is. In the past, we have participated in specialized trade shows in France and Switzerland, but with the growth of our jewellery segment, we see Bijorhca as a chance to diversify our distribution channels. Our goal is to increase the visibility of our brands while connecting with new retail profiles that we haven’t typically worked with, such as non-specialist retailers and ready-to-wear stores looking to incorporate our products into their concepts. Jewellery is a fashion accessory that naturally complements ready-to-wear—it’s a fashion purchase as much as it is a jewellery purchase."
Bijorhca runs in parallel with “Who’s Next,” offering a comprehensive view of the fashion industry. Is it important to you to have visibility in other sectors, such as ready-to-wear and accessories?
"Definitely. It opens up new opportunities and helps us stay informed about the latest trends. Being present in a multi-brand show like this allows us to gauge market dynamics and observe what our competitors are doing."
Are you looking to attract local or international customers?
"At Bijorhca, we are focused on meeting French customers. Our strategy is increasingly local, and while we’ve met several international players at the show, we prefer to redirect them to other subsidiaries within the group."
What are your goals for 2024-2025?
"We aim to expand our well-established watch distribution network, which currently includes around 1,500 points of sale in France. For jewellery, we work with 300-400 outlets, and we hope to grow even further. One significant challenge is to boost the visibility of our brands - during just one morning at the show, we realised that many of our partners were unaware that Lacoste also offered jewellery, which generated a lot of interest and curiosity. This confirmed that the jewellery market is indeed booming."
