More than just experts in jeans, Salsa presents a passion for denim that creates the perfect fit that promises to go with the best version of you. RLI sits down with José António Ramos, CEO of Salsa to discuss the company’s DNA and what the future looks like for the brand.
Portuguese brand Salsa is a world-leading designer of jeans that offer customers the best possible fit where every detail or customisation is done with each body type in mind. From the choice of fabrics to the stitching methods, design and innovative techniques, jeans produced by Salsa are made with care and precision.
Utilising 67 different laundry techniques, offering 40 types of finishes, 27 types of washes and producing 5,000 pairs of jeans a day and making 50 prototypes to achieve the perfect fit, rest assured Salsa jeans are designed for every body type, so that consumers can be what they want, how and where they want. The company currently operates more than 100 stores in countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Slovenia and locations in the Middle East. Coupled with its inclusion in almost 2,000 multi-brand stores, its global footprint exceeds 30 countries.
The last 12 months has been an exciting time for the business, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. They have worked intensively in preparing the foundations to ensure a great future for the company, both from a strategic and organisational point of view. ‘We have put a lot of effort into sharpening our brand proposition to become a more appealing brand to our consumers,’ explains José António Ramos, CEO of Salsa. We have experienced a healthy growth on most channels and geographies despite the negative environment we can perceive in most markets.‘
In the last quarter of this year Salsa will be opening a very special store, an experimental space in the heart of Madrid, on the iconic street of Gran Via. The store will offer something completely new that is far different from a traditional concept. The company is planning to develop a different type of interaction with its consumers, offering a newer and fresher way of presenting its products and ways for customers to interact with the items, including the possibility for guests to customise their jeans. ‘Next year you will see a different side of Salsa and a different image, but one that is still based on the same essence and values that characterise our brand’ explains Ramos.
There is not currently a specific plan in terms of store openings in certain locations, but the company is convinced of the potential of the brand in different regions, such as Latin America, and conversations with potential partners are underway. Research and development is at the centre of Salsa and part of its DNA. They are completely determined to offer its customers the best and most innovative products, to this end, they have in-house teams devoted exclusively to developing new fits and washes. ‘We would not be Salsa without this continuous drive for innovation. We have launched new fits every year for the past decade and we will continue to do so moving forward’ says Ramos.
Wanting to be a brand that is closer to its consumers and a brand that establishes an open dialogue with them, Salsa is planning on creating a different type of interaction with its consumers through social media. “Today social media is already a relevant part of our marketing strategy and we devote a remarkable effort, in terms of budget and human resources to our social media presence.”
Ramos believes the loyalty the brand has built over the years stems from the fact its products are different, it’s fitting is unique and he feels that you can tell that consumers feel better when they are wearing their Salsa jeans. The business is determined to be an innovative denim company that offers new and better products every day, products that will make its consumers feel better and look better. They are determined to achieve the goals they have set out, and at the same time have total respect for the world. Their target is that their only footprint in the world is the satisfaction of its consumers.
So what lies ahead and what does Ramos perceive to be the greatest challenge currently facing the company as a whole? “I mentioned to you at the beginning of our conversation that we have been revisiting all our foundations in the last year. This implies a massive change in the company. Our challenge is to make sure that all those changes are properly designed and executed, that our teams remain motivated and engaged throughout the whole process and that our consumers love the brand even more, because we managed to make it a better brand,” concludes Ramos.
www.salsajeans.com