Design according to the Décathlon company

• Vincent LEENHARDT
  Design manager, Oxylane (formerly part of the Décathlon group)
  

Summary

Décathlon started out just as a distributor of sports articles, and has now become the creator of innovative products. It is at the forefront of design, winning a number of international prizes. There are about one hundred and thirty in-house designers who are responsible for the entire design process. Their expertise is sought at every stage of the production chain, ranging from the fundamental analysis of the feedback from clients to the constraints of industrialisation and sales conditions. At Oxylane, design is almost the company's marketing tool : instead of client studies, the group prefers a pragmatic culture of testing its prototypes and products. Another special feature is that every brand in the group has its own team of designers, and develops its own independent policy with respect to design. How then should one ensure coherency of the company's image and identity ?

Summary translated from French by Rachel MARLIN.

• The entire article was written by Sophie JACOLIN.

To obtain this article, you can :

• download it in French (PDF help) using your password or contact ecopar@paris.ensmp.fr (Reference CR110510).