Brands working with Brands:

First and foremost however big or small your brand is I hope this article nudges some ideas, I have been toying with brands working with brands since 2006. It is not unique; it has been done but from where I sit it is not common and could be. This case is it in a nutshell: 

I worked with a Russian designer 8 years ago. She had a relatively small international business but was supplying 60 stores across Russia ( 1 or 2 department stores, the rest indies/ specialty) which I saw as a massive asset. She contacted me to expand her designer dress collection to new markets through agents and distributors. “Would you ever consider taking on some other brands to sell to those accounts in Russia?” I asked the designer. It was a definite no, “my passion is my brand”. The brand no longer exists, the business could have, which in turn could have financed the survival of her passion.

I could have introduced her to some major brands and who better than a likeminded brand to take care of your brand in the markets they are strong in and you theirs?  

For reference my use of the word “brands” in this article refers mostly to all types be they wholesale, retail, etail, luxury, commercial, premium, all categories basically all. This probably won’t be for pure Start-ups unless say you have decent domestic b2b minimum 10 accounts, a large following or strong b2c. The rest be it fashion, lifestyle, outdoor accessories etc. yes. If in doubt ask. 

If your view is “we want to focus entirely on our own brand” I respect that. Cash flow is king, these are very tough times for some categories and a breeze for others. Things can change and fast. Many brands succeeding right now will dismiss this I am sure.  

I recently read Hawes & Curtis a 100-year-old Jermyn street shirtmaker who are clearly feeling the pinch of covid like many, have started selling loungewear, sweatshirts and jogging bottoms. Brand identity aside, I did not read the full article, but I thought immediately: “why didn’t they just find the best available athleisure wear brand out there and partner them?”? Eysom.com or Inditex’s Oysho are good examples, there are many. H&C have a wholesale setup, ecomm data/ SM following, they know how to open and run stores, import, experienced personnel and maybe when people start wearing shirts again there is a good opportunity to work the other way with the brand partners strong markets. If a brand’s sales have declined 20 to 30% due to its category, business model or sheer “tiredness”, taking on a growing brand will not increase costs much when almost everything is already inhouse anyway. 

As I often say, “if you were in the fur trade in the 80’s no matter how good you were at it, you were going down”. You can’t buck a trend so get with one that is on the up. A lot of brands and jobs have disappeared recently. Most of them that I can see were brands passed their sell by date and could have phased in and partnered a growing brand for the future, saving the jobs and the business. 

Agents, distributors and retail partners have been doing it for years so in short the basics of the concept are in this crude example: 

 You are a men’s premium underwear brand based in Brazil. You have 50 accounts in Brazil ( 1 or 2 department stores, a few chains, independents/ specialty etc.), decent $4k per month ecomm and maybe 1 or two own stores. Goods are made in India and some local. You also have around 100 other b2b accounts spread throughout Peru, Chile and Argentina. 

I am a men’s sock brand in Italy with 60 accounts, much the same as above underwear brand. Made in China, some ecomm, 20 concessions/ shop in shop and 4 own stores, 150 European accounts. Most of my customers b2c/ b2b would/ could buy above underwear. Most of the underwear could buy the socks. Likeminded, no direct competition shows the other brand to my customers through my existing sales channels and first season sales up e.g. 25%, second season 50%. 

In my example above the brands compliment, noncompetitive. Both have b2b sales divisions like agents or inhouse showroom, both have some retail knowledge, both know how to import, both know how to export. Brazil can give the Italian samples to its agents and vice versa. Same store buyers so a men’s underwear buyer usually buys and sells. It maybe Brazil underwear can incorporate the socks in their own retail, it may not be, same for ecomm. But overall from a sales/ business perspective it’s a good fit and if sales have dipped with covid or the like, or you want to expand this is an option. 

Some previous clients:

There are not enough agents and distributors to go around, and I know that, it’s my day job. 

Large U.S., European and other territories rich in brands expect to have retail partners in the Middle East, Asia etc. to open their stores, ecomm and wholesale. Those partners barely exist in the U.S., Europe, and other so if a U.S. brand wants to open stores in Italy it more or less has to do it itself. If a German brand wants to open stores in Spain or a Dutch brand wants to open physical stores in U.S. it has to do it itself the partners do not exist or exceedingly few can open more than a few stores let alone 20+. 

How many UK, Australian or European brands have succeeded long term in the U.S.? How many would succeed if their partner were an existing brand with all the infrastructure, importation, warehousing, experienced personnel, ecommerce.

How many U.S. brands are on U.K. or Spanish high streets, not so many. So although the bigger the brand the harder the fit but had Gap converted some of its stores by taking on noncompetitive brands like The White Company, or Bonmarche in its tired UK form could have taken on my clients brand Diverse (www.diversesystem.com 400+ stores & growing). 

 The UK and many other countries high streets have never been in trouble, just tired old brands. Take a look at Inditex’s Oysho.com if you have not, you will see what I mean. Then look at bonmarch.co.uk. Bonmarche have all the resources, know-how and personnel to open Oysho in the UK and add to their 600 global stores. (oops I have been drafting this a few months and Bonmarche no longer seems to be there, gone?). 

Naturally as I said, there are few and far between companies/ distributors in Europe to take on and open stores for U.S. retail brands and vice versa. So it gets me, why do brands expect retail partners for China, India and other and not in Europe/ U.S.? I have worked with many retail brands to get them distributors who can open stores in Greater China, India, Middle East etc but naturally they don’t ask for partners in Europe or U.S. as they barely exist. Although I did fix a top U.S. brand with one European store group but that was very rare. 

Even recently there are many ecommerce sites in countries that want brands from other countries but only if they have stock in the country of the ecommerce site (in particular with Brexit). So brands can help each other, work together there and hold stock, respectively. It doesn’t have to be a logistics company always and this co-operation can lead places. 

I recently introduced an Australian wholesale brand to a Spanish brand who had 15 agents on the road throughout Spain and Portugal. A collection to each agent and the orders came rolling in. The Spanish brand got 15% commission with barely a rise in costs, shoring up declining own sales and being more contemporary the brand opened new doors to ecomm sites etc.

I could make this a really long article but will cut it and leave you to respond if you wish. With all variations to consider and many forms of business models whether it is retail or ecommerce or even to a Joint Venture distribution/ licensing model or simply with smaller brands acting like a commission-based agent or a distribution discount. I like small steps, act small think big approach. We all know brands have collaborated marketing wise but there is some great business to be done, I have noticed some already doing this and have introduced some brands to other brands in the past, not many but there is a world of possibility out there. It probably boils down to "if the brand is right".

more previous clients:

So if your brand is big, small, in the middle or starting out. If you are based in Austria or Zambia and would like to know more, for now here are the next steps.

EITHER:       Once you have read my profile and how I work Stephen Laundy | LinkedIn, please message me with brief details of your brand/ website/ profile and stating potentially interested. I will respond with my initial comments, options and potential I see for your brand to work with other brands and or agents/ distributors, domestic or international along with my usual info pack. 

OR: If you have no interest to work with me or use my services BUT would be interested if a brand wants to work with your brand please message me with brief details of your brand/ website & state “only brand available”.

Existing Clients:

Thank you for reading this I sincerely appreciate it. Despite the EITHER/ OR above all feedback is welcome. 

My best wishes to you:

Stephen. Fashion Compass