Esprit (Firm)

Organization

Dates

Existence: 1971-

Biography

In 1968, Susie and Doug Tompkins began selling clothes out of the back of their station wagon and the Esprit brand was officially incorporated as Esprit de corp in 1971. The brand expaned to Asia the same year, whch the couple took on a business partner, Michael Yang, in Hong Kong. By 1978, the company was earning more than $100 million in sales worldwide. The company is known for their political activism which is frequently incorporated into their advertising campaigns. In the mid 1990s, the brand exapnded their product range to include eyewear, tights, socks, timepieces and bed and bath linens. Many of the store concepts were designed by Ettore Sottsass, creator of the Memphis style, which whom the company has collaborated since 1982. In 2009 and 2010, the Esprit expanded its retail reach, opening flagship retail stores in Hong Kong, New York and Frankfurt.