It’s an early morning at the Salon International de la Lingerie, but visitors are already rushing to the Maison Lejaby booth. A promising sign for the brand, for whom 2025 is expected to be a major transition. New investors mean new hopes and all the more challenges, says its new General Manager Xavier Martin, at the helm of what he hopes to be a major comeback.

Tell us about the renewal of Maison Lejaby : where does the brand stand today and what are your plans for the future ?

The brand went through a period of slowdown and I’ve been working on its relaunch since I arrived a few months ago. It’s been a tough challenge, because we’ve fallen behind on new products and collection development for a while. But we’ve already made up for a lot of it and we are able to introduce Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter 2025, thanks to the teams who have been working hard to welcome our clients in this new environment. We certainly hope this will create a new buzz around the brand.

What does the Salon International de la Lingerie provide at such a key moment for the brand ?

It is the last major international lingerie tradeshow, and a unique rendez-vous that offers a lot of visibility. We want our presence to be noticed, to send a message of stability and reliability. Although clients never lost interest for the brand, some of them had chosen to put it aside to see how things were going to evolve. We are now ready to reassure them, and very excited by all the support we’ve received.

Tell us about your new creation and development challenges.

The brand has a strong DNA that lies in know-how, in comfort and in an exceptionally good fit. Our absolute priority is to preserve it. We now have to work on the collections, rebalance our permanent styles that have been out of stock for a while, and bring in new products. That’s what we’ve been working on – a continuation of what already existed, by relying on our clients’ trust in terms of creation, delivery, innovation and, above all, know-how.

What’s your approach on innovation ?

We already have extraordinary know-how: rigorous placements, elasticity, support and durability. But we always have to learn and look for new ideas – raw edges, molded shapes, new ways of working with noble fabrics. But I don’t chase innovation for its own sake, the most important thing is to remain loyal to the spirit of the brand. If that’s the case, then we’re obviously opened to new discoveries !

What are your expectations when it comes to clients ?

The brand has somewhat turned its back to traditional clients and independent stores which, for me, are absolutely essential. Just like us, they are experts in both fitting and feeling and they are the ones who allow the brand to be sublimated. We’re absolutely committed to winning back this distribution network, in France but also in Belgium, in Germany and in Great-Britain.