Beautiful Bottoms' international expansion marketing

How to market a brand? FashionUnited contacted Lauren Skerritt, co-owner of Beautiful Bottoms, and got some interesting answers. Beautiful Bottoms embodies femininity, romance and sensuality with their vibrant yet quietly

sophisticated collection of intimates. Increasingly women are looking for knickers and bras in softer, more delicate shapes. Designed in pure silk georgette, the enchanting knickers and bras with their flirty frills, silk ties and soft sheer bodies answer an increasing demand for intimates that please the wearer and the viewer. The collection reflects modern romance with a subtle luxury; vibrant prints coupled with light ethereal shapes generate a creative take on the more traditional lingerie essentials.

FashionUnited: How would you describe the roll of marketing in your company?
Lauren Skerritt: Hugely important, as a small company with no budget for advertising we allocate a vast amount of time and effort into marketing. We focus on PR (online and magazine/newspaper) as a marking channel, social media/networking, blogging, WOM, Charity auctions, events, fashion shows both at universities and more prestigious events in London. London fashion week is a great marketing channel for press and public exposure.

FU: What are your expansion plans into new markets the coming year?
LS: We focus heavily on trade shows in increase our distribution channels. We are doing the Paris lingerie show (salon de la lingerie) in January for the European market. We are investing in the New York lingerie show (curve) as a great new market awaits US! Hoping for some key stores in the US and UK next season.

FU: What are your expectations for the coming year?
LS: To increase our stockists by 25% in both the UK, Europe and US. And as a result increase sales through our own website.

FU: What marketing tools do you implement to reach international clients?
LS: Email able invites to trade shows, phone calls to let them show we will be showing at the events. Gifting to key international buyers and press.

FU: What tools do you use to build relationships with buyers both in the UK and abroad?
LS: Main tool is through trade magazines both in the UK and internationally. Email able newsletters are sent out regularly. UK and international press highlights the brand.

FU: How would you define your focus, online vs offline?
LS: For our direct sales the majority of this business is focused online through newsletters and online (bloggers/social networking sites, twitter). We are creating a video which we hope will go viral and drive sales and a general buzz for the brand. We have a offline focus in terms of magazine, newspaper press as well as general awareness events (fashion shows). Sales we do leading up to Christmas as awareness and sales driven things.

FU: What do you need to increase brand awareness in oversees markets?
LS: Agents and overseas press. We hope to work with agents in many countries (we have just started working with one in China and Portugal) to drive sales. Stockists are needed to raise the brand awareness in overseas markets. We hope to grow these through trade shows.

FU: How do you manage culture differences?
LS: We investigate what works in the different markets through research and push the collection with these different angle.

FU: Can you tell us a little more about your latest success story (a milestone)?
LS: A repeat order from Fenwick bond street.

FU: Marketing: Art or Science?
LS: Both!

FU: What kind of marketer are you? Are you an inventor who uses their intuition to accomplish wonderful product innovations and designs? Or someone who successfully combines existing products and services to consumer wants and needs?
LS: We have found a gap in the market, our brand combines affordability with beautifully printing silk georgettes. Currently not found in the market. We believe we have created something different.