Wacoal

What Wacoal does

Wacoal is a Japanese women's intimate apparel manufacturer founded in 1949 and headquartered in Tokyo, with Wacoal Holdings Corp. listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (tyo:3591). The company designs, manufactures, and sells bras, panties, shapewear, lingerie, and loungewear under its core Wacoal brand and sub-brands including b.tempt'd (younger demographic), Elomi (fuller figure), cw-x (athletic support), and the recently acquired Glamorise Foundations (US size-inclusive) and Bravissimo (UK large-cup specialty). Its product portfolio emphasizes proprietary fit technologies — 5 Points of Fit™, MagicLift®, WonderWire®, Shape Revelation®, Ultimate Lift™, Comfort Wire®, Better Than Braless™, and B-Smooth® — and a wide size range covering bands 30–58 and cups B–K.

The company's revenue model is a hybrid of owned e-commerce websites (wacoal-america.com, wacoal.ca, shopbtemptd.com), Wacoal-branded retail stores, and third-party department store distribution in the US, UK, and Asia. Standard bras retail at $68–$78+, with panties sold via bundle promotions (3 for $39, 3 for $48, 2 for $60) and clearance markdowns up to 60% off; collaboration apparel (e.g., OUR WACOAL × ADAM ET ROPÉ) commands ¥11,000–¥12,100. Manufacturing is anchored by Thai Wacoal, a wholly-owned production subsidiary in Thailand.

Wacoal's GTM is increasingly DTC-focused, anchored by 360+ annual Fit for the Cure events co-hosted with Susan G. Komen that combine complimentary bra fittings with product sales — a 25-year program that has engaged over 1 million women and raised $6.2M+. The 2024 acquisition of Bravissimo ($61.3M) and 2026 acquisition of Glamorise ($33M) are explicit plays to build DTC/e-commerce capabilities and capture share in the underserved large-cup and size-inclusive segments, particularly in the US where earnings had been declining at –31.3% annually prior to the Glamorise deal.

Name

Wacoal

Legal name

Wacoal

Website

https://wacoal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Wacoal is a Japanese publicly traded women's intimate apparel manufacturer (founded 1949) selling bras, shapewear, lingerie, and loungewear globally under multiple brands (Wacoal, b.tempt'd, Elomi, Glamorise, Bravissimo), with proprietary fit technologies serving size-inclusive and general consumers across e-commerce, retail, and department store channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Intimate Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)

akta.pro primary industry

Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands (CRAAAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Intimates, Lingerie & Sleepwear Retail (CRAAABAF)

Keywords

• Women's intimate apparel
• Bras and panties
• Shapewear garments
• Size-inclusive lingerie
• Lingerie manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Kyoto

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (E-commerce): Wacoal sells bras, panties, shapewear, lingerie, and loungewear directly to consumers through owned e-commerce websites (wacoal-america.com, wacoal.ca) and shopbtemptd.com. This is the primary revenue channel, supported by the acquisition of Glamorise's e-commerce infrastructure.
2. Retail Store Sales: Wacoal operates Wacoal retail stores and sells through department stores and other retail partners. Physical retail presence is complemented by the Bravissimo acquisition's 26 retail locations in the UK.
3. Subscription / Loyalty Programs: Wacoal offers email newsletter enrollment with a 10% discount incentive, supporting repeat purchase behavior and customer retention.
4. Glamorise Integration (Acquired Business): Post-acquisition, Glamorise's primarily e-commerce business contributes direct-to-consumer revenue, expanding Wacoal's revenue base in inclusive sizing. Glamorise employs ~45 people and will retain its leadership under Wacoal ownership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Wacoal manufactures and sells women's intimate apparel — bras, panties, shapewear, lingerie, and loungewear — across the Wacoal flagship brand plus sub-brands b.tempt'd, Elomi, and cw-x, and the acquired Glamorise and Bravissimo brands. Products are distributed through owned e-commerce sites, retail stores, and department store partnerships, supported by proprietary fit technologies (5 Points of Fit™, MagicLift®, WonderWire®, Shape Revelation®, Ultimate Lift™, Comfort Wire®) and an extensive size range spanning band 30–58 and cup B–K.

Product overview

Wacoal is an intimate apparel company offering a unified portfolio of bras, panties, shapewear, lingerie, and loungewear across multiple sub-brands and collections. The core Wacoal brand spans diverse bra styles (underwire, wireless, T-shirt, sport, minimizer, full coverage, strapless, push-up, lace, seamless, full figure up to K cups) and shapewear technology (Shape Revelation®, Ultimate Lift™, Smooth Series™, Comfort Wire®). The sub-brand b.tempt'd serves a younger demographic, while Elomi addresses full-figure sizing needs. The acquired Glamorise brand (2026) brings proprietary MagicLift® and WonderWire® technologies plus size-inclusive expertise (30-58 bands, B-K cups) for e-commerce. The acquired Bravissimo brand (2024) adds 26 UK retail stores and swimwear specialization. Fashion collaborations like the OUR WACOAL × ADAM ET ROPÉ line extend the brand into lifestyle apparel.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• b.tempt'd: Sub-brand of Wacoal offering younger-targeted intimate apparel
• Elomi
• cw-x
• Taking Sides Collection
• Bras of Summer
• Easy Like Sunday

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $6.2 million donated to Susan G. Komen over 25 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ADAM ET ROPÉminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026OUR WACOAL and ADAM ET ROPÉ have announced their third fashion collaboration, launching a collection of Cup-In Tank Tops on June 16, 2026, with full retail availability from June 30, 2026. The collection includes Short and Long Cup-In Tank Top designs priced at ¥11,000 and ¥12,100 respectively, featuring innovative molded cups, thick straps, and high-quality extra-long cotton yarn. The collaboration blends Wacoal's lingerie expertise with ADAM ET ROPÉ's fashion design sensibilities, building on previous joint launches in 2024 and 2025.
• Glamorise Foundations, Inc.coreOthers · 1 April 2026Wacoal International Corporation acquired all shares of Glamorise Foundations, Inc., a New York-based women's innerwear company specializing in size-inclusive products (bands 30–58, cups B–K) sold primarily through e-commerce. The acquisition aims to strengthen Wacoal's product development capabilities in the larger sizing segment, build Direct-to-Consumer and e-commerce capabilities, and create a profitable business platform. Glamorise employs approximately 45 people and retains its leadership post-acquisition. The deal was valued at approximately $33 million.
• Susan G. KomencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2026Wacoal has partnered with Susan G. Komen for 25 consecutive years through its Fit for the Cure program. Over 360 events are hosted annually at department stores and Wacoal stores nationwide, during which Wacoal donates $5 for each person who receives a complimentary bra fitting and purchases a regular-priced Wacoal or b.tempt'd bra. Over 25 years, more than one million women have participated and Wacoal has donated more than $6.2 million to Susan G. Komen, with 100% of funds supporting direct patient services including the Breast Care Helpline and financial assistance programs.
• Bravissimo GroupcoreOthers · 27 September 2024Wacoal Holdings acquired UK-based Bravissimo Group (the UK lingerie retailer specializing in larger cup sizes) for approximately $61.3 million. The acquisition includes control of 26 retail stores and an e-commerce platform. Bravissimo had sold Wacoal's brands for many years prior to the acquisition. The CEO remains in her role and stores continue to operate under separate management.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• PVH Corp. Parent of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger; competes with Wacoal in branded intimates distributed through department stores and DTC globally.
• Hanesbrands Inc. Global intimate apparel and innerwear conglomerate (Hanes, Maidenform, Bali, Playtex, Champion) — a large incumbent with overlapping bra and shapewear portfolios competing with Wacoal across mass and mid-tier price points.
• Calvin Klein (PVH Corp.): PVH-owned global apparel brand with a major intimates line sold through department stores and DTC. Overlaps with Wacoal in wholesale positioning and brand-led marketing at accessible price points.

Direct peers

• Victoria's Secret & Co. Largest specialty retailer of women's intimate apparel in the US, with bras, panties, and shapewear sold through stores, e-commerce, and global wholesale. Closest direct competitor to Wacoal in mainstream bra fit, brand marketing, and size range.
• Triumph International: Swiss-headquartered, privately held global lingerie manufacturer with strong European and Asian presence. Most directly comparable peer to Wacoal in international scale, brand portfolio structure, and department store wholesale model.
• Lounge Intimates (formerly Natori): Premium US-based intimates and loungewear brand with department store distribution and DTC; comparable to Wacoal in premium positioning, fit-led branding, and selective retail partnerships.

Emerging players

• ThirdLove: DTC-native intimates brand built around half-cup sizing and fit technology, competing directly with Wacoal in the inclusive-fit and digital-first consumer segment that Wacoal is now targeting.
• Savage X Fenty: Rihanna's digitally-led intimates and loungewear brand competing with Wacoal's b.tempt'd sub-brand for younger, social-first consumers; relevant peer for Wacoal's DTC and lifestyle extension strategy.
• Adore Me: DTC intimates brand (now part of Victoria's Secret) with strong data-driven approach to fit and inclusive sizing; comparable to Wacoal's Glamorise/b.tempt'd positioning in digitally-led inclusive intimates.

Regional players

• Marks & Spencer: Major UK retailer with a substantial in-house and branded intimates range, comparable to Bravissimo's UK retail positioning and an important competitive overlap for Wacoal Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC69_kPSdqL5FOMDsur9tiZQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/wacoal.jp
• Instagraminstagram.com/wacoalamerica
• TikToktiktok.com/@wacoalamerica
• Xx.com/wacoal_news

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wacoal