London-based Clio Peppiatt sees major US sales boost

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Jun 17, 2019

Introducing a currency converter and offering free returns has sent international sales of London fashion designer Clio Peppiatt soaring, with sales to the US rocketing by 600% in the last six months.

The designer, whose custom-made beaded dresses have been worn by the likes of Lady Gaga, Kylie Jenner and Miley Cyrus, looked at ways to attract more international shoppers with the help of DIT International Trade Advisers (ITAs).

Together, they introduced new features that would help overseas shoppers feel more confident when buying her high-value designs.

International sales through the website now account for more than half of sales, up from just 1%. And being featured on prestigious fashion magazines such as Elle and Vogue helped raise the brand’s profile and secure a distribution deal with Tuza, a designer boutique in New York.

The label now exports to 14 countries, including the US, France, Germany and Australia.

“Working with the ITAs has helped me to take the brand to the next level,” said the designer. “Tiny things, like adding exact measurements and currency converters to the website and starting to offer free returns, has had a huge impact on overseas sales. This has helped to build more trust between the brand and customers, who now have more confidence to make a purchase. It may seem obvious, but for a small independent brand, it’s things like that you might not be aware of."

Parveen Thornhill, Head of London Region at DIT, said: “Being from London definitely gave Clio Peppiatt an edge when speaking with press and customers in the US. The UK is renowned for its fashion and creativity. The value of exports from London to the US increased by 11.5% in 2018 compared to 2017, to reach a value of more than £5.9billion, highlighting the demand for London’s goods and services across the pond.

“We worked with Clio Peppiatt to maximise demand for her designs. Her unique and custom embroidery speaks for itself. However, it was only after reworking the website and visiting the US that orders began to flood in.