Founder Charlotte Simone Beecham discusses her brand’s evolution over the past decade, highlighting the shift in business strategy due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in consumer interest.
Charlotte Simone Beecham, the founder of her namesake coat brand, has marked a decade of transformation in the fashion industry since the launch of her business. Initially, Beecham adhered to a traditional business model characterized by a majority wholesale distribution—70%—and a limited direct-to-consumer (DTC) approach. Her brand was well-positioned with significant retail partnerships with notable names such as Saks, Harvey Nichols, and Matches. The standout pieces, particularly her iconic ’70s-inspired fluffy Penny Lane coats, saw considerable success and contributed to the brand’s steady growth.
However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges, causing Beecham to describe her operation as “basically lost overnight.” In response to this crisis, she redefined her marketing strategy by leveraging social media platforms, particularly Instagram. There, she began showcasing one-off samples to her audience, which gradually gained traction and motivated her to adapt her business model.
Charlotte Simone has since shifted to a drop model that includes two major collections annually—one in September and another in November—along with an archive sample drop featuring various silhouettes, fabrications, and surplus stock. The upcoming archive drop is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26. “It was from there that I decided to pause what I was doing and focus on the Charlotte Simone community; to work in a slower, more considered, more creative, more sustainable way to make product — which hopefully is worth waiting for and feels a bit more special,” Beecham stated.
The response from consumers has been overwhelmingly positive. During the brand’s last drop in November 2024, the website saw a remarkable surge in traffic; at 8:07 PM, just seven minutes after the site went live, approximately 12,000 people were actively browsing, marking the highest traffic observed to date. Additionally, in January, Charlotte Simone secured a place on the Lyst Index for the first time, with one of her coats being recognized as the eighth hottest product. This momentum can be linked to a significant spike in interest, particularly following exposure from Taylor Swift, which reportedly led to a 242% increase in searches for the brand. Year-on-year data indicates a 45% increase in site traffic and a 125% rise in sales on launch night.
The trend surrounding long curly fur, traditionally used for accents like collars and cuffs, is also noteworthy. Heuritech, a trend forecasting platform utilizing image recognition technology on social media, predicts a 15% increase in this style’s popularity during the first quarter of 2025.
Reflecting on her path, Beecham distinguishes her brand’s trajectory into two distinct periods: pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. She describes her early years as being shaped by the industry’s demanding pace. “When you’re on the hamster wheel, it moves so quickly,” Beecham explained. “You’re just going and going and going. And we were designing and then selling and then going again — designing, selling, designing, selling.” As she looks forward to the future, Beecham remains committed to crafting a brand identity that resonates with her customers while prioritizing creativity and sustainability.
Source: Noah Wire Services
