If you’re in the Australian activewear scene, you’ve almost certainly crossed paths with Lauren Simpson’s activewear brand Rare Collective. With new collections dropping monthly (sometimes even twice-monthly) and a passionately dedicated audience, it came as a big surprise to many when Lauren announced the online store’s closure earlier this year.
“I’m currently transitioning into a new era of life, and with juggling multiple businesses plus now being a new mum, I knew something had to give” says Lauren, new mum of her 3-month old firstborn, Sailor.
Lauren’s dedication to Rare was evident from its inception back in 2020. Our team at Lethal Digital collaborated with her throughout the brand’s journey, witnessing her hands-on involvement at every touchpoint. From meticulously designing and testing each collection, to personally approving every asset and attending every single meeting, Lauren was the driving force behind Rare’s success.
Before we dive into what Lauren has next in the pipeline, we wanted to give Rare Collective a much-deserved retrospective, a look back on the brand that was, and how it earned its cult-status thanks to keen marketing, engagement, and creative problem solving.
Meet Rare Collective Official: Where It All Began
Having trained her way to becoming a WBFF champion and renowned fitness coach, Lauren Simpson got to know the ins and outs of activewear better than most. She knew what made for a solid performance piece, and what did not; what styles and features stood the test of a brutal workout, and which ones failed.
Driven by this understanding and a keen eye for fashion, style, and self-expression, Rare was born.
This is where our own journey with Lauren and Rare Collective began. We took the lead from Lauren, as she knew exactly what she wanted: A seamless browsing experience, creative and dynamic visuals, and a brand that felt inclusive, exciting, and inspiring. And so that’s what we did.
Quickly we knew Rare wasn’t going to be a slow-paced client. Each new collection drop was met with huge influxes of traffic from Lauren’s socials, as well as an ever-growing VIP mailing list, a list that would eventually grow to become one of the cornerstones of the brand.
From Strength to Strength: How Rare Grew to Cult Status
Founding executive of Wired magazine Kevin Kelly once proposed the concept of ‘1000 true fans’—the idea that you don’t need millions of customers to build a successful brand, but simply one thousand ‘true’ fans: One thousand people who would remain loyal to your brand, continually come back for more, and always ready to consider any new product you had to offer.
Rare Collective were proof of this theory tenfold.
Before their closure, Rare Collective had amassed 19,000 unique customers. Yet, a distinct group of ‘true fans’ stood out—dedicated followers who eagerly awaited every collection. These were the customers who would be first to open emails, secure early access to launches, and rush to click ‘Add to Cart.’
This is what Rare did well—building loyalty, community, and ‘true fans’.
We fanned the flames of this ever-expanding fan base through meticulously crafted email campaigns sent to our most engaged users. These emails pre-hyped new collections, provided exclusive previews, actively sought customer feedback, and helped foster that feeling of exclusivity, VIP, and community.
But our work was only part of the equation. Lauren and her team’s relentless and authentic presence—whether it was showcasing new garments, discussing fit and styling, or simply living life in Rare’s pieces—deepened the connection with the audience. Often without directly promoting, Lauren’s natural style and daily wear of Rare pieces effortlessly drove sales and ongoing loyalty.
Creativity In Spades: A Brand That Was Never Boring
One thread that runs throughout the entire lifespan of Rare Collective was creativity. Lauren and her team embraced a bold and creative approach to photoshoots—a dream scenario for any creative agency.
While they perfectly struck balance between innovative design and wearability for their apparel, it was in their campaign imagery where Rare’s creativity truly shined.
No two photoshoots were the same, often with new and dynamic locations, props, set design, and models. Working closely with Team Rare, we took these raw images and worked our own magic them, aligning them with the brand’s vision to create creative new campaigns every month.
One month we may be channelling a ‘90s Tommy Hilfiger vibe, and the next we’re focusing on all things pastel, girly, and feminine. It was never boring, and always a chance for everyone to flex their creative muscles.
As an agency, working with Rare Collective was a joy. We thrived on translating their bold ideas and mood boards into striking final products that fused their vision with our creative flair.
For a brand with the tagline “Inspired by the fear of being average” their creativity certainly attested to this.
Rare Collective’s Closure: What’s Next For Lauren & Rare?
Rare’s closure announcement came as a surprise to many fans as the business had been thriving. But for Lauren, this wasn’t so much of a chapter ending as it was a new one beginning.
Having just had her first baby in June this year, Lauren knew her schedule would begin looking a little different. Juggling new motherhood, multiple business ventures, and a bustling, high-demand clothing business that she preferred to remain hands-on with, in her own words “I knew something had to give”.
Never one to sit still, Lauren worked closely with us right up until (and after!) Sailor’s birth to host a huge final blow-out sale that hit record numbers—loyal fans past and present flocking to score their own pieces of Rare history.
So you may ask: What now?
If you thought Lauren may take a break, you’d be wrong. We’re not one to spill any beans, but there are many exciting things in development behind the scenes, as we type. We suggest keeping a keen eye on Lauren Simpson as she moves from strength to strength–both literally and figuratively.
For now, if you can’t get enough of Loz, we recommend checking out her new training program with partner Coach Mark Carroll, The Bikini Method.
If this blog post reads as a fan letter to Lauren and Rare as a whole, that’s because, well, it is. Our team at Lethal have loved working on Rare from day one, and continue to enjoy collaborating with Lauren as she expands her reach and shares her passions. It’s safe to say this creative partnership is certainly a Rare find.
