CASE STUDY
The Client
Hubris is an audacious ready to wear label founded by Charles Misan Egbejule. It’s distinct clothing and accessories feature bold prints and epicene fits assembled in harmony with delicate craftsmanship. The company is one of many that have benefited from the alternative trend originating in Lagos, Nigeria and the brand has largely been adopted by the streetwear and hip-hop scene.
Their Business
Streetwear is influencing the new era of fashion, although it is not a new phenomenon. It has been around for decades and much of its inspiration is rooted in skate and hip-hop culture. It has given way to an underground market of logo-heavy athletic wear, establishing the personas of “sneakerheads” and “hypebeasts” alike. But its heyday is being driven by the Instagram age. The model here is based on a game of trends. Trendsetter designers stay ahead of the game by pushing boundaries, adapting and opening up new conversations that drive demand for the designs. These designs are shown on catwalks and sold through offline and online channels.
The Challenge
At the earliest stage of this venture it was important to set out organisational structure and a strategy for profitability. Like most young designers, there was the flawed perception that growth should be measured in terms of studio space, PR budgets, extravagant catwalk shows and all the elements that create hype around a brand. But this isn’t business. Business meant a healthy cash flow by selling a product or service that people wanted while delivering growth and profitability. Many embryonic fashion businesses invest all their energies into expensive advertising, marketing and staging catwalk shows in a bid to attract wholesale buyers and press, but for the money they spend, they would be better investing in their production and wooing a focused list of boutique and store buyers who they can build relationships with, consequently nurturing a strong customer base.
Our Approach
The first point of call for this client was helping them establish a vision and mission. We created a warm environment and asked thought provoking questions about inspiration and impact. This process was a back and forth that took some time to conclude, it was important that the vision was clear and a mission was set out and stuck to. After this, we broke down the organisational structure into various chunks - helping the designer to understand everything that went into delivering value. From inspiration and conception of design to the logistics of returns and refunds. We also set our quality assurance measures across various business lines, an important factor in the local market. Surveys by Thread Digital and Analytics had revealed that for 70% of targeted customers the decision not to buy an item rested upon the quality of finishing. We also set out a cash flow structure for the business, helping it remain prudent with capital and prompting investment in the production process and negotiations with suppliers. In all, the breadth of our work covered Business Strategy, Marketing Strategy and Operational Strategy for the business.
Our Impact
Hubris has gone on to become one of the most recognised brands in their local market, registering growth in revenue, stockists, shows and visibility. Their distinct design and organisational structure won them the Sketch to Fame competition and they have received recognition from the LVMH Prize - a result of business and marketing strategies put in place.
