Havaianas now have a digital showroom thanks to Hatch

The start-up that launched a digital showroom software lands the Brazilian footwear brand as its first client

Amsterdam based start-up Hatch, backed by PVH Corporation, which owns brands such as Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, has signed the globally renowned flip flop brand Havaianas as its first brand to license its new digital showroom software.

Combining fashion and technology, Hatch has pioneered a fully digital guided wholesale selling experience, thus enabling Havaianas to conduct its 2021 selling season entirely digitally, meaning samples have been eradicated. This appears to be a step (excuse the pun) in the right direction for sustainability.

Created in 1962 Havaianas have been bringing Brazilian spirit all around the world through their legendary rubber sole and bright joyful designs. Sold in over 100 countries globally they have become a footwear staple for millions of people all over the world.

With the current pandemic, which has forced many stores to remain closed worldwide, Havaianas’ move towards going completely digital was fuelled by the crisis, with the traditional wholesale experience no longer being feasible for the nearly 60-year-old brand. The flexibility built into Hatch’s Digital Showroom software allowed for the company to conduct remote appointments with customers; provided an effective sales process that also incorporated the Havaianas brand’s storytelling; and removed the need for multiple wholesale selling tools and software.

Courtesy: Hatch

Coming on the market in 2014, the digital showroom technology has revolutionised the wholesale experience for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. Hatch has been implementing a new product since January 2020, the start-up has been using its fashion tech findings to bring the digital showroom to other brands and companies through a SaaS model, which is a software licensing model allowing access to the technology via a cloud, which brands can pay a subscription to access. Hatch is also offering digital transformation consultancy services, in order to help brands ease into the future of wholesale selling.

‘Working with Hach has been an exciting and transformative experience for Havaianas,’ explained Merel Werners, marketing director at Havaianas. ‘We have been very impressed by the combination of technology and the human touch, and how Hatch puts the brand first in a digital way so that the Digital Showroom feels completely Havaianas. The process has been seamless and we look forward to partnering with Hatch and collaborating on future innovations that will make digital selling even more successful.’

‘The digitisation of wholesale selling plays a critical part in driving a more efficient, more resilient and more sustainable fashion value chain,’ said Anne-Christine Polet, Senior Vice President of Digital Ventures at PVH Europe. ‘By partnering with Havainas, we will gain valuable insights to fuel the innovation process and make the Hatch Digital Showroom even more effective. This is the future of fashion and we’re excited to see the technology take on the industry.’

By removing the need for physical samples, the Hatch Digital Showroom improves speed to market, enabling brands to give customers what they want faster than ever before, and take a positive step towards a more sustainable future for the industry.

Courtesy: Hatch