Delsey Paris’ chief executive may have arrived at the top of his profession but he’s still enjoying the journey, writes Roxanne Li
Davide Traxler may be American but he was the embodiment of the British slogan “Keep calm and carry on” in the two years since he became chief executive of Delsey Paris.
Traxler’s tenure at the French luggage brand started during the Covid-19 pandemic– at a time when hardly anyone was flying and hence had no use for travel bags.
But he calmly steered the brand out of adversity by prioritizing “harmony.”
“I was always confident and excited because I’m always pretty optimistic,” said Traxler. “I was very convinced that things would come back and get better fast.
“The big challenge for me was really to rally everyone around the project, to make sure everyone had faith and confidence that things were going to go well.
Delsey managed to maintain its performance with 2022 full-year net sales increasing 124 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 207 million euros (HK$ 1.77 billion), surpassing pre-2019 levels and nearly four times the speed of the industry’s recovery after the pandemic.
In June this year, the brand welcomed its new boutique in Hong Kong’s Harbour City.
“It may be the French vibe that makes us a bit different,” said Traxler.
His stand on brand positioning was also unusual. “I want my company not to be a luxury statement,” he said. “On the contrary, it is inclusive.
We want to be close to travelers and be their best friends.”
And this has worked wonders for the company.
“We see more than three million pieces of luggage being sold per year and our company has grown so fast as we have already doubled the size,’ he said. “And we are projecting double again in the next few years.”
For Traxler, traveling is a basic human desire, and the tools to satisfy this desire must understand this. So inclusion and harmony are concepts he wants his products to convey.
This philosophy is also closely related to his own life experience. Born in New York and then living in Africa, Brazil and Europe, Traxler is a lifelong globetrotter himself.
“I myself love to travel and I’m a seasoned traveler. Three times I got stopped in the street by people asking me what my suitcases are. It’s fun and I love it.”
That was why he wants his product are not only functional but also good looking. “All little things we work a lot on is what you don’t notice at first sight. But when you really travel you will see the difference.”
As he said, travel is also a big part of his professional life. He circled the globe many times in his nearly 30 years of experience in high-end furniture as well as fragrances, in licenses and leather goods, then in watches and jewelry, before taking the role at Delsey.
“The opportunity came and I just accepted it,” he said, describing his transition from watchmaking to luggage. “I was really looking forward to going back to a big international city. When the opportunity came with Paris, I said: Yeah, let’s do that!
“I love my job and it’s been two fabulous years. I walked to the office to work in the center of Paris every day. Paris is a beautiful city to live in and a gift. I believe that environment is very important.”
Traxler said he wanted to bring this relaxed and calm attitude to his staff .
“When I joined the company, people were very tense and worried about the future, post-Covid,” he said. “I have to keep in mind a positive atmosphere. We work together and the atmosphere has to be harmonious. I love to see colleagues achieve something they didn’t think they could. That is a beautiful sentiment. I want them to feel safe.”
This extends to his working style. “I remember some female colleagues coming to me to say they’re expecting a baby. For me, it’s always very good news, because I know when they come back, they will become the best colleagues you can have.
“Once a colleague told me she came from a poor family and never thought of having children. But it was thanks to me that she dared to have children. She said it was because I understood and she felt her job as safe.’ ”
This understanding is the result of his years of experience. “I changed a lot when looking back on my years. When you’re younger, you’re more driven by short-term success,” he said.
