Wholesale Vs. DTC, Influencer Marketing & More

I speak with Sophie & Belle on the Don't @ Me Podcast on the trials and tribulations of running a fashion company in the current retail environment.

I recently spoke with friends and fellow founders Sophie Hood and Belle Maartensz on their Podcast, Don’t @ Me, on my on the trials and tribulations of running a fashion company in the current retail environment.

We discuss the evolution of the brand from a wholesale heavy, sleepwear focus to a ready-to-wear brand and direct-to-consumer model, emphasising the importance of community engagement and customer interactions.

For those interested I’ve listed the chapters below, including the fashion industry, focusing on seasonal collections, influencer partnerships, sales strategies, sustainability, and the journey of starting and scaling a business.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to MAISON ESSENTIELE

03:02 Customer Interactions and Challenges

05:56 The Evolution of MAISON ESSENTIELE

11:53 Building a Direct-to-Consumer Brand

19:04 Community Engagement and Brand Awareness

23:51 Retail Store Dynamics and Seasonality

27:36 Seasonal Collections and Strategic Drops

30:27 Influencer Partnerships and Gifting Strategies

31:45 Sales, Discounts, and Consumer Behavior

35:18 Sustainability in Fashion: A Double-Edged Sword

39:49 Starting a Business: Financial Insights and Resourcefulness

45:01 Retail Experience: Feedback and Adaptation

51:05 Future Goals: Expansion and Community Engagement

I’ll be sure to delve deeper into these topics & more over the coming months on Substack, but I hope the Podcast gave you some initial insight. Have any specific questions you want to know more on? Comment on this post or DM me!

Up next: Behind the curtain of the launch of our SS25 collection, some of my biggest lessons running a company thus far, the best vintage fashion finds right now, and some really insightful interviews with industry leaders as part of my mini series. Until next time. <3