Lounge The Label designer and owner Carmen Bianco discusses how her small label has traded through this period.
How has your business changed during COVID? How have customers responded to this?
Our business was hit hard following the pandemic, like so many and our store closure was devastating.
We had just opened our new boutique in Hawksburn Village, Toorak and were forced to close just a month after opening the doors to our dream store.
We are primarily a wholesale business and many of our accounts have also been affected.
We have all had to work together to adapt and find new ways to move forward in the new “normal.”
Describe a successful initiative you’ve rolled out this year.
Connecting with our customers in new ways has become our focus and we’ve definitely been focused on doing that via our online store through creating new and exciting opportunities for our customers to shop.
'Shop the Look’ has been extremely successful for us, offering a complete look to purchase makes shopping our collections easy.
Given we have been in Stage 4 here in Victoria, the launch of our 'Virtual Showroom' for wholesale has also been a critical initiative to ensure we can continue to connect with our wholesale customers as we approach the next seasons sell.
Our wholesale accounts are the lifeline to our business and during difficult times we need to work even closer with each of our accounts and support each other.
How is trade at the moment?
Next question…Unfortunately I could try and take a positive spin here but it wouldn’t be true.
It’s tough and it will be tough for a long time.
We need to band together as an industry and ensure that we are adjusting and adapting our business models to work with the down turn in mind.
The last few months has given me the opportunity to reflect, re-evaluate, rebuild & re-think everything we do as a brand and why we do it.
What have been some trending products and/or categories during this time?
This one's easy…loungewear!
I’m so grateful to have a brand that sits in this category.
Our philosophy has always been to give women timeless pieces that remain in their wardrobe forever.
Relaxed and contemporary in design.
What changes in customer behaviour have you witnessed?
The support for local and small business has been incredible.
Both our wholesale customers and our online customers have bandied together and as a small business I am truly grateful for this, it’s this support that has kept us going and inspired to come out the other side.
How are you preparing for Cyber Weekend and/or Christmas this year?
At the moment, we are currently taking it week by week, but we will hopefully be able to open our Hawksburn Village boutique open for Christmas trade!
What is on the horizon for your brand in 2021?
Virtual Showroom - I think this will be something that will continue for us as a brand.
Continuing to create new ways to connect with our wholesale and retail customers.
Shifting the model to smaller collections, more often.
Commitment to do what we do best and to only make things that we are truly passionate about.