Attire Accessories - Seo/Oct 2019 (Issue 78)

PROFILE 101 Tell me a bit about how the label was started. The brand Soake started around 2016, but we were known before this as Blooming Brollies. Blooming Brollies started in 2008, selling mostly umbrellas with floral designs, hence the name! However, as the years moved on and our product range developed, we felt that the name was not strong enough to cover everything. When we started in 2008, we only sold other brands. Therefore, when we started to develop and produce our own products, we wanted a strong brand name to help with our identity. It took several weeks just to come up with something suitable, but we got there in the end! I have worked here since its inception, and I purchased the company in 2018. How were the initial products developed, and what was the response? We already had in stock a range of umbrellas branded as Blooming Brollies, but we decided to visit China and create relationships with suitable factories to increase our range. We worked with existing frame and canopy designs within these factories but changed them slightly to put our own stamp on these. What challenges did you face, and how were they overcome when starting the business? The major challenges were financing the increase in stock. We had already gained a reasonable customer base via our primary business, selling kids’ umbrellas, raincoats and rain boots. This gave us a head start, and at the trade shows, we attended with our primary company. We made use of part of the stand to promote Blooming Brollies. When we rebranded to Soake, we focused more on these products at these trade shows. What is it that sets you apart from your competitors? We work closely with our trade customers and hope we have built a lasting relationship with them so we can offer a friendly and efficient service. We are always at the end of a phone, as we prefer to talk than message. We are able to offer lower-quantity orders so our customers can choose a wider selection of products. We also try to dispatch all orders within 24 hours from ordering, so our customers can almost expect next-day delivery. How important is the location and history of the company to its success? Our location, I think, is insignificant these days because you can run a company from almost anywhere in the world with the technology available today. Our history does help! We have been around for more than a decade and have formed friendships with some of our customers over this time. How has the product offering changed since you started, and how would you describe your current collection? We have a much larger selection of products than when we started. We have proved ourselves in the boutique market and have increased this side massively. When we started life as Blooming Brollies, our main offering was a selection of floral umbrellas with a few city-themed ones. Now we have a massive selection for everyone, from toddlers to grandparents, and for all occasions. How often do you launch new lines? We launch new products biannually, but we will also sometimes launch new colours or themes to existing collections throughout the year.