Ladies' underwear brands are well-known, but few people are familiar with men's underwear. However, some local companies are now trying to expand into the male undergarment market. Aimer is one of the pioneers in this field.
On December 20, 2010, Aimer signed a joint venture agreement with Nihon Junko Co., Ltd. (known as Shingu). The joint venture, Beijing Shijie Garments Co., Ltd., was established with Aimer holding a 51% stake and Shingu owning 49%. The company will operate under the brand names "Bodywild" and "The Gunze" in the Chinese market.
Before this joint venture, Aimer had already launched its men’s underwear brand, "Aimer Men," in April 2005. Since its inception, Aimer has evolved from an OEM manufacturer to a brand-focused company, building a strong reputation in the women's undergarment market.
According to Dong Jie, who leads Aimer's men's clothing division, the decision to expand into men's underwear was driven by channel sharing and expansion. "Aimer already has a large network of high-end shopping malls, so it makes sense to leverage those channels for men's underwear sales," she explained. Currently, Aimer's women's underwear has nearly 1,000 first- and second-tier retail channels, while Aimer Men has around 140-150 stores and counters. Recently, the company also allowed distributors to develop secondary sales channels.
Dong Jie believes that the growing awareness of women's undergarments has paved the way for cross-category expansion. "Many female customers have asked about men's underwear before we even launched the product," she noted.
Aimer Men has become a new growth driver for the company. In 2010, sales of Aimer Men grew by 68%, reaching nearly 300 million yuan. While Aimer Women's Underwear still generates 6 to 7 times more revenue than Aimer Men, Zhang Rongming, chairman of Aimer Group, sees great potential in the men's market.
However, developing a successful men's underwear brand is not as simple as replicating the success of women's undergarments. The men's market is highly competitive, with many brands selling at low prices (typically between 10 to 20 yuan). Only a few foreign brands, such as Germany's S&K or UK's Hackett, have managed to capture the attention of elite consumers.
To stand out, Aimer Men initially targeted the premium segment, with prices ranging from hundreds of yuan. Sales were concentrated in high-end stores and specialty boutiques, such as Dorset in Beijing and Lufthansa outlets.
But what exactly do men look for in their underwear? Ma Dan Yang, a designer specializing in men's undergarments, conducted extensive research in first-tier cities and overseas markets. "We carried out surveys and found that comfort is the key factor," he said. "We focus on human body shape analysis, fabric development, and overall comfort."
To ensure product quality, Aimer Men follows a meticulous design and development process. Every quarter, the team sets a theme, selects fabrics accordingly, and develops colors, styles, and craftsmanship. Designers then create samples, test them for comfort, and go through internal reviews before final approval.
The core positioning of Aimer Men is "comfort," and fabric technology plays a crucial role in achieving that goal. Although Aimer has built a strong brand over the years, it lacked expertise in fabric production. This is where the joint venture with Shingu comes in.
Zhang Rongming believes the collaboration provides Aimer with an opportunity to learn from Shingu's advanced fabric production techniques. "Shingu has over 110 years of experience in fabric manufacturing and holds world-class technology in this area, which Aimer lacks," he explained.
From Shingu's perspective, the joint venture offers a fast track to the Chinese market. By partnering with Aimer, Shingu can enter China more efficiently and use its fabric technology to support both brands. As a result, the joint venture allows Aimer to strengthen its position in the men's undergarment market while gaining access to high-quality materials.
In short, the partnership between Aimer and Shingu represents a strategic move to bridge the gap between brand image and product innovation, setting the stage for future growth in the men's undergarment sector.
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