Dockers
This brand, same as Levi’s, is a division of Levi Strauss & Co. Launched in the U.S. in 1986, it arrived in Europe in 1993, making its début in Sweden. It arrived in Italy only in 1995. It manufactures more than 2,500 types of casual trousers, both for men and women. In 1998, Dockers Europe surpassed its quota of 4 million trousers sold, with Italy providing about 25% of the European total. There were 740 multi-brand points-of-sale franchises for the men’s line and 290 for the women’s, launched in Autumn 1998. In Europe, there are 16 Dockers stores, with the most recent the single-brand store opened in Florence in May 1999, the first in Italy.
After the big success of its no-iron trousers, Dockers launches another novelty, the Dockers S-Fit, innovative trousers manufactured with the Clean Fabric System, which produces an exclusive no-stain and water-repellant fabric. A long association with DuPont results in a special treatment called Teflon that makes the fabric resistant to the most difficult stains such as wine and coffee. The fabric is no-crease, easy-to-wash, dries quickly, and doesn’t need ironing. The styling of the new trousers is also absolutely innovative. The front pockets are closed by zippers and the back pockets have a safety fastening. A side pocket, made specifically for a cell phone, is made of linen with metallic mesh in order to reduce electromagnetic radiation. There is also a model in cotton, Cramerton, in the traditional khaki color used by the U.S. Army since the 1930s.
Present at the 64th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, Dockers celebrates the tenth anniversary of its arrival in Europe. Dockers Italy is third in importance in Europe after Spain and Portugal, with 650 point-of-sale franchises.
Among the offerings for Spring-Summer 2004, Dockers launches the Made in History line, which recalls the clothing of the masons who worked on the Empire State Building. There are trousers and jackets in pale colors such as yellow and ecru, manufactured with natural fabrics and triple seams.