Latest news with #StephanieUnwin
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Fashion Brand Veronica Beard Sets Its Eyes On International Growth
The brand, known for its versatile styling and layering of blazers and dickeys, plus jeans, shoes ... More and accessories, has built a reputation as a contemporary fashion label that can dress the modern working woman. (Veronica Beard pre-fall 2025.) Veronica Beard is ready to take its woman-on-the-go style global. The brand, known for its versatile styling and layering of blazers and dickeys, plus jeans, shoes and accessories, has built a reputation as a contemporary fashion label that can dress the modern working woman. After spending the past year putting puzzle pieces into place, the brand is now well-positioned for stronger international expansion, as a significant shift is underway in the prestige and luxury fashion markets. The brand, which launched in 2010 from sisters-in-law Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, now has 41 stores in places like New York City; Troy, Mich., and Seattle. In the past 12-months alone, Veronica Beard has opened at least eight stores. The overall business is approximately two-thirds direct-to-consumer and one-third wholesale retail, with annual revenue of more than $300 million, said Stephanie Unwin, president of Veronica Beard. Over the same 12-months, the Veronica Beard assortment has also grown with the addition of handbags. Priced at under $700, the idea was to offer a more affordable item to bring younger and more aspirational consumers into the brand. It's a strategy that has proven effective in the past. Veronica Beard launched shoes in 2017 for under $500, and it has grown by triple digits in the past year. Typically, Veronica Beard's hallmark blazers retail for approximately $700 to $800. 'When you look at the model, even with luxury, the accessories are often the entry point [for customers],' said Unwin. 'We thought about that similarly; and, when we looked at the market opportunity ... we wanted to fill the white space between mass, contemporary and the luxury brands.' The big focus now is on international markets like Munich, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Geneva. Currently, the brand has a presence in London, Germany, and the Benelux region of Brussels, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Veronica Beard will open five to six stores over the next three years. The past year required focus on building a team to oversee international expansion, distribution and technological infrastructure. In March, Veronica Beard hired Francois LeFloch, as head of Veronica Beard International. More recently, in May, the brand announced the hire of Halsey Anderson as chief brand officer, a newly created post. Under that role, Anderson will be tasked with crafting the global brand vision, including influencer and social media marketing, creative assets, styling and editorial. 'Europe is a key growth market for us—our wholesale business has already shown strong potential, and now we want to complement that with retail spaces that fully express our brand's identity,' said LeFloch. 'Cities like Paris and Milan [are]The backdrop to Veronica Beard's growth is the ongoing decline in luxury sales, driving customers to look to other brands and more accessible, yet still high-quality, offerings. Since 2024, luxury brands from conglomerates like Kering, LVMH and Richemont have experienced inconsistent quarters of sales growth and decline. In April, Kering shared its first-quarter sales declined by 14% year-over-year with a whopping 25% year-over-year sales drop at its flagship Gucci brand. Also in April, LVMH shared that first-quarter fashion sales declined 5% year-over-year. Meanwhile, Richemont exceeded analyst expectations in May for its fourth-quarter sales, after a tough first-half of fiscal 2025 sales. Fourth-quarter sales rose 7% year-over-year, thanks in part to its jewelry brand, Cartier. 'It's an undeniably challenging time for many brands given the global climate. While luxury is currently under pressure, our positioning offers a unique advantage,' said LeFloch. 'Success will come from choosing the right locations that align with our brand and values.' Veronica Beard's positioning has not only focused expansion categories like handbags, but also on ... More strategic partnerships and a focus on sportswear. (Resort 2026 collection) The brand positioning has not only focused expansion categories like handbags, but also on strategic partnerships and a focus on sportswear. Following a collaboration with the NFL in Oct. 2024, the team then set its eyes on the French Open in early June with an eight-piece capsule collection with Head Sportswear. NCAA tennis champion Ayan Broomfield, starred in the collab campaign. Sportswear, a quintessentially American category, is also the focus for the brand's resort 2026 collection, dubbed 'Varsity Electric,' which features a sportswear-heavy offering mingled with Veronica Beard's traditional styles. 'Our woman has always been on the go. We've always tried to serve up an offering that provides her with that versatility,' said Unwin. 'Hopefully, we make her feel confident when she's out there, making it happen, and that's the most important thing.'
West Australian
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Horizon Power partnership brings live theatre to regions including Exmouth
A two-year partnership between a theatre company and a regional energy provider will allow productions to be seen in regional parts of the State, including the Gascoyne. Horizon Power has contributed $100,000 towards Barking Gecko Arts to deliver theatre productions and creative learning programs for children across regional WA, including Exmouth, Karratha, and Esperance in the State's south. Barking Gecko's touring program aimed to reach over 2000 children, and employ 25 regional artists and workers within these communities. Chief executive Ryan Taaffe said live productions were an important way for children to learn. 'When children experience live theatre, it fosters creativity and empathy, improves emotional intelligence and brings bucketloads of joy,' he said. 'Thanks to Horizon Power's support, we can bring these transformative experiences directly to regional communities.' Later this year, Reasons to Stay Inside, will head to Exmouth and Karratha. The production, aimed at primary school students in Years 3 to 6, explores themes of friendship, anxiety and the importance of mental health and resilience. The story depicts a boy whose anxiety threatens to overcome him, building a pillow fort and refusing to leave while his best friend tries to get him out. The funding was the latest in Horizon Power's Community Partnerships Program, providing $1.1 million each financial year to positively impact remote and regional communities. Horizon Power chief executive Stephanie Unwin said bringing opportunities like this to the regions was important. 'It's fantastic that Barking Gecko can continue to expand their program across regional WA, so that more students have the chance to experience the excitement of their live theatre shows,' she said. 'We are proud to support this initiative and work together to bring the arts to an ever-increasing audience across the regions.'
