"We're so pleased with the response we've had to our first ready-to-wear collection. We recently have been carrying out a lot of work on our website - which involved customer research - through which we discovered that there was a real demand for clothing featuring our prints," Stone explained. "Since launching the collection, the feedback we have had is that it feels like a natural progression for the brand, which I think is really positive. Of course, scarves will always be at the heart of Lily & Lionel, but it's exciting to see the business grow and take on new challenges."
Stone launched the company - named after her grandparents - in 2010 and found that, as one of the only digital-print scarf labels around at the time, the brand quickly garnered a loyal following, but the changable market meant that the company had to adapt to prosper. While many labels ascribe to the KFC mantra of doing one thing really well, others are keen to branch out, adding categories and products to extend their reach, which in itself is not without its problems. Many over-extend themselves, causing over-saturation or even financial woes, but the British scarf label launched its ready-to-wear category by category, and is witnessing strong growth as a result.
"Opinions on KFC aside," she laughed, "I certainly see the benefits of honing your skills in one area. Lily & Lionel is a print house first and foremost. We began with scarves as that is the perfect canvas for bold prints, and now that we have made a name in that area, it's time to expand our horizons and see the prints in a new context; like clothing and cosmetic bags. Exploring new avenues is part of the fun, and it introduces you to a new audience that may not have heard of the brand otherwise."
Her PR background and pragmatic business-focused outlook ensure that Stone isn't swayed by how much she or her team loves a print or shape. If the numbers show that the customers don't love it as much, it's got to go. Shapes are consciously simple - shirts, maxi dresses and leather jackets with printed linings have all been sales winners - and categories are only ever introduced after extensive customer feedback.
"We wanted the pieces to feel beautiful, so we searched high and low for the perfect silk, and each garment was individually finished by hand," she smiled. Luckily, we now have a very loyal customer base which comes to us for exciting new prints. We often hear about customers who collect our prints every season, which is wonderful - we've even had customers say they have our prints framed in their homes! We've especially become known for our leopard print, which is timeless - everyone needs to have a little leopard print in their life."
Next on the horizon is a bespoke unit to house the Lily & Lionel offering - perhaps a pop-up at first - to add to its ever-growing spaces within Liberty and Harrods.
No comments:
Post a Comment