SUCCESS STORIES
Inspiring Tales of Startups,
Growth and Overcoming Hardships
BY CHRISTINA BUSWELL
WILLIAM MANGOLD
VP USA Hospitality Division, Majestic International
Montreal, Canada
M
ajestic International’s long history began in 1924
when Sam Cowan—a poor immigrant from wartorn Romania—founded and pioneered men’s ties
and mufflers (scarves) in Montreal, Canada. In the 1950s, the
company expanded its expertise to include sleepwear. Today,
the privately owned company has grown to include a range of
product lines, such as loungewear, swimwear and sportswear.
“In three generations, my father, husband and son have all
worked to show that Sam Cowan’s original philosophy, which
involves honesty, integrity and quality products, remain the
backbone and success of our company,” says owner Esther
Landsman.
Beginnings
At first, Majestic International had its sights on selling
Canadian-made terry robes in high-end department stores in
Canada, but by the late 1980s, the company had taken on a
more aggressive growth initiative.
“Over the past 15 years, Majestic International has moved
into the hospitality market and now has two clear divisions.
The Hospitality Division caters to hotels, spas, resorts and
cruise ships. The Retail Division caters to department stores,
regional chains, specialty boutiques and mass merchants,” says
William Mangold, vice president USA hospitality division.
When the company eventually needed a bigger office space
to match its growth, Landsman’s son, Sam, named after his
grandfather, stepped in to oversee the design and construction
of a new 150,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art building which
now houses Majestic International.
Through Sam’s business acumen, he saw the U.S. market
potential and introduced the Majestic International brand in
the market in the early 1990s. This proved to be a smart business move as the brand is now carried in some of the world’s
most prestigious hotel groups and properties, including the
Preferred Hotel Group, Historic Hotels of America, Avendra,
Fairmont Hotels Worldwide, St. Regis, Princess Cruise Lines,
and many others. Landsman adds that upscale retail companies
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like Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Bloomingdale’s, Saks and an additional 150 menswear stores across the U.S. are Majestic
International customers.
“Over the years, the company became more and more international in scope. Although the focus is clearly on the North
American market, we currently sell to more than 20 other countries on a regular basis,” says Mangold.
Keys to Success
According to Mangold, the key to the company’s enduring
success is its people. “Our people are our biggest asset. Our
team members pride themselves on a job well done and in providing the highest level of customer service possible. That is
why we say: ‘At Majestic, customer service is not just a department, it is an attitude,’” he says.
Another clear advantage of the company is that it runs both
Hospitality and Retail Divisions. In its Retail Division, the
company carries a sleepwear and loungewear line that includes
both “always in-stock” items as well as two fashion lines each
year. In the Hospitality Division, the company carries a comprehensive line of bathrobes and slippers. Oftentimes, there is a
crossover between the divisions, where Hospitality customers
order Retail items and vise-versa. “We will continue to aggressively leverage our financially strong balance sheet in order to
continue to grow both of our divisions, with an emphasis on
the Hospitality Division, as we see the most room for growth in
this area,” he says.
Ultimately, Majestic International plans to remain true to its
core ideals. “The business has changed and the way we do business has changed, but our founding ideals have not: Quality
products and quality service are what we believe in,” he says. n
Years as an ISPA member: 10 years
First learned about ISPA: “I was working with Jeff Kohl
at Princess Cruise Lines when he was still working there. He
was the person who introduced me to ISPA,” Mangold says.
Favorite ISPA Resource: “The annual ISPA Conference &
Expo. It’s the best way to network with all of my existing
customers and reach out to prospects,” he says.