Hi! Today’s newsletter consists of three female-founded brands, in the wake of IWD24 last week, exploring their stories and, more importantly, what we can learn—or 'borrow'—from their playbook.
If you’re enjoying Behind Brands, share it with a friend. If you have any brands you love and would like a deep dive into what they’re getting right, then reply and let me know.
Founded by Maeva Heim in 2020, Bread Beauty Supply has carved out a special place in the beauty industry by simplifying haircare for women of colour, making the daily routine less of a chore and more of a celebration.
What captures my attention about Bread is their use of user-generated content (UGC) on their website. This is a great way to not only showcase real, relatable results but also build trust and authenticity.
Brand tip: transform your online presence into a vibrant, customer-centric platform with UGC. Showcasing real stories and results from customers will not only build trust but also create a strong, relatable brand image.
I stumbled across Simi Launay's SOW Minerals while searching for a supplement brand. I’m genuinely impressed by her ability to create an entire lifestyle around SOW’s products. At first glance, I can tell her success stems from creating this all-encompassing world that resonates deeply with consumers seeking a more integrated approach to health and wellness.
Be it through a blog, in-person pilate classes, or sharing the healthier choices that should be on my grocery list via Instagram, SOW Minerals exemplifies the power of building a brand that lives and breathes the values it sells.
Brand tip: The lesson here is invaluable—expanding your brand beyond the product to create a lifestyle can deeply enhance customer engagement and loyalty.
The Underdays has a special place in my heart for turning something as mundane as underwear shopping into an enjoyable experience. The brand was founded by Amelie Salas and Oria Mackenzie, who went to an underwear sample sale and left feeling so uninspired.
“Why are women still having to choose between uncomfortable, overly sexualised lingerie or beige basics? Our ideals, tastes and preferences have changed dramatically but yet we are still buying underwear from the same places as 20 years ago.”
“We wanted to create a next-generation underwear brand that women can connect with and spoke to their values, specifically around inclusivity, sustainability, and unique style. At the same time Victoria Secret’s market share was declining, making it the opportune time to launch. It was really a now or never moment.” Read more here.
The pair have managed to inject fun, and personality into every pair of underwear they sell, making each purchase feel like a small act of self-care. Their success can be attributed to their spirited approach to branding and community engagement.
Brand tip: No product is too small or too mundane to be reimagined. By focusing on the consumer experience and nurturing a vibrant community, brands can elevate their offerings and stand out in the most crowded markets.
Weekly musings:
SKIMS Presents 'SKIMS Lab' Commercial During Oscars Red Carpet: “With this being our first-ever made-for-TV campaign, we really wanted to bring viewers into the SKIMS universe and create a film about our brand story and obsession with product development in a witty, yet extravagant way,” says Kim Kardashian. I like it. It’s creative and engaging. I sound like a broken record, but we can all learn something from SKIMS and their “chief engineer”…
Lightning in a Bottle: Tapping Into the Niche Fragrance Boom: Emily Jensen shares the steps emerging brands need to take as they expand, including a hero product, authentic storytelling, and a foothold in growing markets like China.
Kylie Jenner Has a Booze Brand Now: Lippies, gaming apps, skincare, swimwear, babies, fashion.. What will it be next week?
THE MORE SHADES THE MERRIER🪞: Moving away from last week's critical musings on the beauty industry's seemingly retrogressive steps, it's truly refreshing to witness ILIA and other brands stepping up to the plate, delivering precisely what we've been asking for. In a world clamouring for inclusivity, the beauty industry's response should be loud and clear: more shades, more diversity. ‘People, Brands, and Things’ explores the positive impact of expanding beauty product ranges to cater to an array of skin tones, proving that inclusivity is not just a trend but a powerful statement of belonging.
How did Miu Miu grow by 58 percent last year? Creative ingenuity. That’s how. By honing in on a younger, edgier audience and leveraging standout designs, Miu Miu has managed to carve a distinctive identity that complements its parent company, Prada, demonstrating the power of niche targeting and bold aesthetics in luxury fashion.
Why Frasers Group Shuttered Matchesfashion The fashion editor at the magazine I work at was pretty upset about this. But I think it says a bit about luxury e-commerce platforms: Imagine you’re at a super fancy Mayfair restaurant where the chef personally knows your name and prepares your favourite dish just the way you like it—that's the kind of personal touch luxury shoppers are looking for. Now, think about trying to cook that same special dish for a whole stadium of people all at once without losing that "made just for you" feeling. This is the big puzzle luxury brands are trying to solve: keeping things personal and special for each shopper, even while serving more and more people online, which requires being fast and efficient. It's like being asked to maintain the charm of an intimate dinner party while hosting a giant wedding banquet.