60 seconds with ... Lee Cooper CEO Andy Dunkley

British denim brand Lee Cooper presented their

Spring/Summer 2014 collection last week with a garden party just outside London, and FashionUnited caught up with the label’s Chief Executive Andy Dunkley to find out more about his career, what he is currently working on, as well as his future goals for the brand.

Education
“I went to University of Southampton and did a degree in Economics and Politics.”

Achievements
“I have worked with some great brands throughout my career, in different industries with brands that have a resonance and a passion, and I would like to think that I had moved them on to a better place and helped them be true to themselves.

“I’ve worked in writing instruments, brands such as Parker Pens, Waterman, and Papermate. I still have a Waterman pen today, and I have seen that one made on the product line in the factory and hand assembled, it is nice to be able to associate something that as a leader with a brand that you go all the way from the start to the finish with it.

“I feel with Lee Cooper, that my biggest achievement isn’t for me to say, I have enjoyed every place that I have worked, and I have enjoyed the things that I have done, but I think other people measure your achievements.”

Currently working on
“Lee Cooper has a lot of geographically expansion going on around the world, but one of the key things that we want to do is make sure that the brand is consistent, so it looks the same, through the marketing and products, in order to keep the brand recognisably ‘Lee Cooper’.

“For instance, Europe as a whole will develop through new partnerships, which is currently happening in Italy where we are speaking to four or five people and that will be announced soon, as well as new product launches.”

Goals
“Our goal for Lee Cooper is that we want to double the business over the next five years, while at the same time maintaining that brand integrity and personality and being true to our heritage.

“Iconix bought us this year, but I started speaking to them three years ago, as it was a very good fit on both sides, they’ve given us extra support where we’ve needed it, and they want us to keep on delivering what we’ve done as well as driving forward with the business.”