Wolford

Wolford is an Austrian luxury legwear and bodywear brand known for high‑quality tights, stockings, lingerie, and form‑fitting apparel sold through its own boutiques, outlet stores, selected partners, and a global e‑commerce platform. The company focuses on products that sit close to the skin, combining technical knitting, durable yarns, and a minimalist design language that appeals to fashion‑conscious, repeat customers.

The business was founded in 1950 in Bregenz, Austria, as a small producer of women’s stockings. Over the following decades, it built a reputation for precision knitting and comfort and gradually moved from basic hosiery into bodysuits, shapewear, lingerie, and ready‑to‑wear pieces. As the assortment expanded, Wolford evolved from a local hosiery maker into a recognized international name in luxury “skinwear,” supplying department stores and developing its own branded retail presence in Europe, North America, and Asia.

A notable milestone came in 2018, when Fosun Fashion Group, now part of Lanvin Group, acquired a majority stake. Today Wolford sits within Lanvin Group’s portfolio of heritage European fashion brands, giving it access to capital, shared expertise, and a more global platform. This ownership has supported efforts to modernize retail operations, update store environments, and strengthen digital and omnichannel capabilities.

As of December 2023, Wolford operates about 125 points of sale worldwide, including a mix of full‑price boutiques, outlet stores, and partner or franchise locations. The brand maintains a strong concentration across continental Europe, with additional presence in key North American gateway cities and selected Asian luxury hubs. Its stores are typically compact, service‑driven units suited to urban high streets, upscale shopping centers, travel‑retail locations, and premium outlet villages, often in close proximity to other luxury or contemporary fashion brands.

Over roughly the last five years, Wolford has been reshaping its global footprint rather than pursuing broad, store‑count‑driven expansion. Management has focused on rationalizing underperforming sites and redirecting investment toward high‑traffic, high‑visibility locations in major European capitals, core North American cities, and top Asian luxury corridors. At the same time, the company has leaned into omnichannel retail, using stores as both sales floors and service hubs that support online ordering, pickups, and returns.

This approach has also influenced how and where the brand grows. Wolford is selectively opening new boutiques, relocating existing shops to stronger pitches, and expanding in premium outlet centers in Europe and North America, where its recognizable name and loyal customer base help draw traffic. The result is a smaller but more productive store network anchored in established shopping districts and travel‑driven environments, with a consistent, upscale presentation that fits well alongside other global luxury and aspirational brands.