China exit of top German lingerie brand shows women prefer comfort, rejecting the male gaze
Popularity of going braless plus growing desire for practicality sees purveyors of wire-free underwear brands push up sales
German lingerie brand Triumph, which left the mainland Chinese market recently, has ignited a social media discussion about the rising trend of women opting for comfort instead of beauty when it comes to underwear.
December 31, 2025, marked the last day of the 139-year-old lingerie brand’s time in mainland China.
It announced its withdrawal in November and closed all its bricks-and-mortar and online shops within a month.
Many people believe the exit resulted from the brand’s failure to keep up with the growing desire for wire-free designs in lingerie.
Triumph boasts a decades-long history of shaping the global lingerie market .
In 1979, a year after China’s reform and opening up, the brand entered the country via outsourcing. It established its first factory in 1992.