Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein post-Covid-19: What’s in store?
The global fashion industry was among the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, facing major disruptions on an unprecedented scale. On the retail side, challenges included store closures as part of government lockdown measures, as well as sudden shifts in market demand since many consumers were largely confined to their homes and facing economic uncertainty amid a deepening recession. On the supply side, complex and vulnerable global value chains proved to be ill-prepared for factory closures, prolonged shipping delays and reduced labor capacity due to lockdown measures, as well as sudden order cancellations due to a halt in customer demand. While these supply and demand shocks were triggered by the events of the global pandemic, they came on the back of a laundry-list of sustainability issues for which the fashion industry had since long been widely criticized, such as the environmental impact of textile waste and exploitative labor conditions for workers at the bottom of the value chain. A global leader in apparel, PVH Corp. (hereafter referred to as PVH) – parent company of iconic fashion brands Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein – found itself in the same boat as many players in the fashion industry. PVH suffered significant declines in revenue and earnings, and was forced to make difficult decisions, including permanent store closures as well as substantial lay-offs and furloughs. Stefan Larsson, the president of PVH, who would succeed Emanuel Chirico as CEO in early 2021, had major strategic issues to address, not only to get the company through the COVID-19 crisis but to future-proof it in a challenging post-pandemic world.
- Analyze how the COVID-19 pandemic, in conjunction with the ongoing digital disruption, has changed the fashion industry.
- Understand the relationships between companies like PVH and multiple stakeholders, including consumers, suppliers, workers, governments, and shareholders, and how they affect strategy.
- Explore the link between sustainability in business to long-term company growth, resilience, and futureproofing.
- Develop strategies for companies like PVH that integrate the interests of multiple stakeholders into the business model, balancing social and environmental responsibility with a focus on profitability and shareholder value.
2017-2020
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
IMD retains all proprietary interests in its case studies and notes. Without prior written permission, IMD cases and notes may not be reproduced, used, translated, included in books or other publications, distributed in any form or by any means, stored in a database or in other retrieval systems. For additional copyright information related to case studies, please contact Case Services.
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
On 15 April 2019, the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris faced a devastating fire. The Brigade des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris (BSPP) mobilized quickly, showcasing strategies in team dynamics, crisis management and coordination under pressure. The case p...
In June 2024, at the CocoaCrafters Operating Centre, Elena Fever faced a crucial meeting with the board of directors. The discussion surrounded how to integrate Generative AI (GenAI) into the company’s supply chain strategy to enhance forecasting ...
When the dotcom bubble burst in March 2000, this did not stop the world from going digital, but it did poke holes in the concept of trust, especially in the digital world. David Goldenberg, a Belgian entrepreneur with extensive experience in manag...
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Case reference: IMD-7-2593 ©2024
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
Case reference: IMD-7-2611 ©2024
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications
in I by IMD 8 January 2025
Research Information & Knowledge Hub for additional information on IMD publications