When asked to describe Perth, many may use words such as “simple”, “sleepy”, “slow-paced”. Three adjectives that Perth’s fashion ecommerce scene is anything but.
Fashion ecommerce is a highly competitive field, one that many aspiring business owners have tried to enter, many with struggling levels of success. And one particularly tricky niche to break into? Activewear.
With high overhead costs, complex inventory management, ever-increasing storage space needs, and fierce competition, Stepping foot into the activewear industry is certainly not for the faint of heart.
On top of these challenges, operating out of Perth presents an added obstacle: Living in the most remote city in the world can often mean limited supplier access, higher shipping costs, and a bustling scene over east to constantly compete with.
And yet, despite all of this, a number of activewear ecommerce brands have emerged and quite frankly, are making the impossible look easy.
Today we want to dive into three iconic Perth activewear and fashion labels: Leelo Active, Two Tags, and Hyperluxe, and discover what secret sauce led them to turning their ideas into true Perthonalities.
Leelo Active: Attainable luxury, made candid
Founded in 2019 by Perth couple Bethany Walker and Sean Meyer, Leelo Active perfectly captures the essence of the popular Gen Z concept of “That Girl” — elevated, quietly luxurious, sharp, crisp, clean.
Leelo’s inventory boasts sleek, minimal designs with impeccable garment quality, all perfectly curated to sell a lifestyle, rather than an outfit.
Have a scroll through Leelo’s content and you’ll be hit with an onslaught of effortlessly stylish women in their perfectly curated outfits that seem to say, “Oh this? I just threw it on, but look how effortlessly chic I am.”
It’s the epitome of attainable luxury, and it’s working.
Browse through TikTok and you’re likely to stumble upon a seemingly candid ad of a Leelo model casually crossing the road with a coffee, presumably after a satisfying workout. So we click on the ad, not because we cannot find leggings elsewhere, but because we want to be her.
With no signs of slowing down, Leelo has recently been acquired by popular apparel wholesaler, Stylerunner, a perfectly matched partnership between two accessibly luxurious, ‘That Girl’ brands; further proof that this small brand has a long term business strategy that is anything but small.
What can we learn from Leelo?
- Prioritise quality: You cannot sell ‘quiet luxury’ with poor product quality. High quality keeps people coming back.
- Sell the lifestyle: Where do your customers secretly (or not so secretly) want to be? Do? Feel? Capture that, weave your product in, and sell that.
- Plandid is king: For apparel brands, the planned candid (or ‘plandid’) is a click-worthy advertising creative option.
- Find like-minded partners: Aligning with brands that reflect a similar ethos to yours can accelerate your growth and expand your reach.
TwoTags: Made for the people, by the people
If you’ve ever baulked at the price of a pair of name brand leggings, you’re not alone. This shared experience was one of the first dominoes that led Perth-based activewear brand TwoTags to its initial success.
TwoTags, the brainchild of former construction manager Max Huang, launched in 2017. While their initial success was modest, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated their growth.
Max surveyed 3000 customers and discovered that around 75% were wearing activewear “more than ever” during lockdowns. He also heard directly from those same customers what they wanted to see within that activewear: Lower price points, inclusive sizing, leggings with pockets, to name a few.
Immediately acting on this intel, Huang got to work developing more cuts and styles of his bestseller leggings to include superior construction, pockets that could hold more than a few gold coins, and a size range extending up to 4XL. And all of this was maintained within an affordable price point.
And the result? Booming success.
TwoTags’ swift and noticeable actioning of this feedback has earned them passionate customer loyalty, transforming Max’s humble garage-run business into a multimillion-dollar empire.
What can we learn from TwoTags?
- Continually ask for feedback: Listening to your customers pays dividends.
- Action that feedback: True customer loyalty is formed when customers see you actioning their feedback.
- Inclusivity is crucial: Sizing inclusivity within any apparel brand is paramount
- Pockets: People love pockets!
Hyperluxe: The cool sister we all wish we had
If you’ve ever wondered what all the cool girls are wearing, all you need to do is browse the storefront or e-shelves of Hyperluxe.
Founded by sisters Cassie and Madi Sharpless, Hyperluxe has become a go-to destination for stylish and high-quality activewear, leisurewear, and everything in between.
Inspired by a desire for a curated collection of unique, high-quality pieces that align with their own values of wellness, health, and movement, the young entrepreneurs have found significant success by creating a business that they themselves would love to shop at.
Hyperluxe’s success largely comes down to having a finger ever-on the pulse of fashion, culture, and trends. Browse their shelves on any given day and you’ll find brands that are ‘if you know, you know’ levels of cool. This expert curation transforms Hyperluxe from a simple wholesaler to a personal shopper, your go-to destination for your next staple piece; whether you need a new bikini for summer or some new shorts for your spin class, Hyperluxe has you covered.
Their meticulous curation of products and brand partnerships, paired with an engaging and warm social media presence, has framed Hyperluxe as that cool older sister we all wish we had. But this one actually lets us wear her clothes out.
Hyperluxe’s hybrid approach, combining bustling physical stores and a curated online presence, further solidifies their status as a true lifestyle brand. This allows customers to shop in-person or online, depending on their needs and preferences.
What can we learn from Hyperluxe?
- Build the business you want to shop at: You can find significant success in building a brand that reflects your personal style, desires, and values.
- Learn what’s ‘cool’: Keeping your finger on the pulse of trends that affect your target demographic is paramount to ongoing success —what’s in one day could be out the next.
- What you say ‘no’ to is just as important as what you say ‘yes’ to: Brands like Hyperluxe find success in being meticulous about which brands and items they stock. Keep your standards high and your partnerships aligned to your overall brand.
It’s no secret the apparel industry is one that a lot of people want to enter, but not all succeed in. By standing on the shoulders of these industry giants, we’re able to glean important insights into what makes for a successful brand.
And the unfortunate truth? There is no one secret formula.
However, what there is is common threads we can identify:
- Selling a lifestyle: Whether it’s the quiet luxury of Leelo, the everyday uniform of TwoTags, or the cool girl curation of Hyperluxe, people want to buy products that will help them better become the person they wish to be. Meet them there.
- Know your audience, and know them well: Whether you’re building a brand you’d love to shop at yourself, like Hyperluxe, or you’re a former construction manager like Max Huang of TwoTags in constant communication with your audience, understanding your customers’ needs and preferences is paramount.
- It’s not just activewear: And it never was. A common thread between these three brands (and any other successful activewear or athleisure business you may scroll by) is a thorough understanding that these leggings you’re selling aren’t just being put on for gym sessions. They’re worn for coffee with the girls, for a WFH day away from the office, for a day of running endless errands. Don’t limit your success by only marketing your product by its primary usage.
Are you an apparel brand keen to action these learnings? Need a little help? We’d love to chat, contact Lethal Digital today!
