Lingerie brand Fleur du Mal is introducing its first athleticwear collection, Fleur du Sport, after two and a half years of development. Founder and CEO Jennifer Zuccarini plans events like dance classes to mark the launch. The move supports the brand's push for global growth amid a conservative fashion trend.
Jennifer Zuccarini, founder and CEO of Fleur du Mal since 2012, recently celebrated the opening of a new store in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood. The event featured a violinist-comedian, an artist typing personalized poems, and dancers from Brooklyn's House of Yes serving cocktails in the brand's lingerie. Zuccarini hosts such community events monthly across the brand's four US stores to build customer connections, including matchmaking in Los Angeles and panels with sex therapists in Brooklyn. “I always think, what would be interesting to me? No one wants to go to a party at a store and stand around with a tiny plastic cup of Champagne,” she said. These gatherings foster word-of-mouth even if attendees do not shop immediately. Fleur du Sport comprises 16 styles, including proprietary four-way stretch lace, catsuits with push-up bras, and track jackets featuring corseted waists. Zuccarini noted the saturated market for leggings but emphasized her line's unique representation of the wearer. The collection will debut with dance classes and cocktails. The profitable brand, achieving 25% annual growth without outside funding since 2019, aims for revenue in the nine figures, targeting $100 million. International sales rose 40% year-on-year last year, with key markets in Canada, the UK, Australia, Germany, and France. Plans include an affordable line, more wholesale partnerships like Net-a-Porter and Saks, two additional stores this year, and a new AI-optimized website. Zuccarini positions Fleur du Mal against rising conservatism, maintaining provocative styles like feathered robes and corsets worn by celebrities including Taylor Swift and Dakota Johnson. Facing ad restrictions on platforms like Instagram—where “butt shots are banned”—the brand focuses on live sales, Reddit, and YouTube. “I want to push the envelope. Nobody wants to be provocative anymore. I want to shock you,” Zuccarini said.
