Business Journal
MARAI: A Look Ahead
For some time at MARAI we have been discussing opportunities for how fashion independents can take back their rightful place in the retail market.
Discussing Our Recent Brand Partner: Black Clover
A recent successful brand partnership for MARAI is Black Clover. Our second drop arrived this week and looks likely to sell out quickly. I became aware of these caps through seeing the likes of Tony Robbins wearing them. Being a fan of both Tony and the message the brand delivers [Live Lucky] there was a personal reason for wanting to bring Black Clover into MARAI. Added to the fact it’s also a commercial success, it’s a win win for us.
Bacon Bagel Or Bacon On Toast?
Just a short one this week as this was something that come up recently in our office discussions...
Quiet Luxury Is Taking Over The Menswear Sector
In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift in men's fashion towards what is known as "quiet luxury." This term refers to the idea of understated elegance, where luxury is expressed through subtle details rather than loud branding or flashy designs. Whilst this is certainly nothing new in the world of fashion (as very few things are) this current cycle is seeing a massive rise in dominance within the menswear sector.
Is It Acceptable To Wear Socks With Slides?
In our offices we constantly have debates over a massive selection of subjects, with the most recent one to come up being, ‘is it ever acceptable to wear socks and slides?’. Well, this topic certainly has divided our office in recent weeks...
Since When Was Running A Multi-Million Pound Business Not Enough?
My days are being filled with some interesting conversations at the moment. Though each conversation may start off with a different subject, we all seem to agree on one thing, the fashion industry needs a shake up. Over distribution and lack of freshness, are meaning brands are beginning to be worried about having all their eggs in one basket, yet at the same time are unable to move away from the big orders. But what is the alternative for these brands?
Fashion Retailers Never Used To Sell Footwear
It sounds mad to say, but getting a good footwear offering can potentially add 50%+ to any fashion stores turnover. Footwear itself can be the main draw for what brings customers through the door. But this never used to be the case with retailers...
Is It The End Of 'Logomania'?
When buying for Designer Boutique [our old multi-brand store before MARAI] back in 2017/18, every showroom we had meetings at had an overabundance of logo’s/branded pieces everywhere. Fast forward to now, and what we are seeing and hearing is that the trend of cleaner product is growing and growing fast. Headlines across the fashion press point toward luxury fashion embracing a move back to their heritage; tailoring, stealth wealth and quiet luxury.
How Important Are Friendly & Knowledgeable Staff?
I get it, sometimes you just want to walk into a shop, have a nose around and just see if something catches your eye. Although, at the same time to be ignored when walking into a store with your hard earned cash ready to spend, and you aren’t even greeted with a polite ‘hello’ is in my eyes, unacceptable.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
When building your business, there are many things to consider. One of which being your carbon footprint. My personal belief is that we all have a responsibility to move into a more carbon neutral direction. For us it’s about timing, building our brand and platform was more of a priority and as we gain knowledge, we can then start to implement and send a stronger, more educated message.
Starting Your Own Brand
As brand owners, we get asked about how to start your own brand quite regularly. I would always encourage anyone to follow their dream, go for it, make it happen. I will always be honest however. I don’t know of any short cuts. There are no tips I can give that will make your brand an overnight success, it's hard work, determination, belief and there will be plenty of obstacles to overcome.
Spring Is Finally Here
Yes spring is here, skies are turning bluer, nights are lighter and our minds start drifting to the summer months ahead. But as my Nan would say “Never cast a clout until May is out”.
