How did Brodie Cashmere begin? What’s your origin story?
My husband’s always worked in beautiful cashmere in Mongolia, and I just thought, “I love wearing cashmere sweaters. Where do we start? How do we do this?” Having these wonderful contacts in Mongolia allowed us to work very closely with the factory and the herdsmen, so we’re guaranteed to have the best beautiful cashmere from source. I’ve got a great design team back in the UK. We’re UK-focused in our design, but with that fabulous backstory of the rolling hills of Mongolia and the herdsmen.
Brodie Cashmere (Courtesy of Brodie Cashmere)
When did you realize that the brand was starting to take off and become a success?
We first came to the Coterie show, and we knew we had something special. We knew that we had a fabulous collection full of color and vibrancy, and how it was difficult at first to reach out to the U.S. market. We didn’t know what they would think about us, coming from the UK? But actually, Americans and our beautiful stores have embraced us. They love color, and I love color. I love wearing fabulous colors. That became our backstory, and that allowed us to be something different to everyone else in the market. Our use of color and our playfulness is definitely something that the U.S. retailers have embraced.
What are the brand’s best-selling colors or styles?
Every season, we always have an element of a bright pink. It could be a neon or a flamingo shade of pink. We also have those neutral, classic shades, because that woman still wants to look elevated and sophisticated. She might wear a fabulous signet color, but it’ll have a bit of tipping in neon, so it just sets you apart from your average cashmere jumper.
Brodie Cashmere (Courtesy of Brodie Cashmere)
Comfort and wearability is such a focus for Brodie Cashmere. Why is that so important for you to bring to the market?
We all know that we want a beautiful cashmere sweater. It’s been well-designed and thought about colors at the forefront of what we do, but also a good fit. It’s not just about having a V-neck sweater. We want something that feels luxurious, looks like it’s had some design and thought put into it. I always try everything on, and if I like it, I know it’s going to work. I have a great team of girlfriends who come into the office and we do a fit session. They could bring some vintage styles that they’ve always loved, and I’m like, “Oh, let’s get it on. Let’s try that. Let’s try that V-neck jumper with a side split.” It’s all about design, fit, and color.
What are some of the brand’s latest advancements in sustainability?
It’s part of our DNA. We want to make sure that the herdsmen in Mongolia are well paid and looked after, that the factory workers in the Mongolian factory are well looked after, and making sure that we’re caring for nature. We’re caring for the goats, we’re caring for the landscape. Our cashmere is machine-washable. My daughter Jessica, she works closely with me in all aspects of the business, so it really is a family business.
Brodie Cashmere (Courtesy of Brodie Cashmere)
Does working with family make processes and decision-making easier?
Yes, there’s more familiarity. For the rest of the wider team in the office in the UK, they know that we’ve got everybody’s values at the forefront. We care about our people that we work with. We care about the people in the factories. We care about the herdsmen. Together with Bill and I and Jessica, we always have that family feel within the business.
What makes trade shows like Coterie and Atlanta special for showing your collections?
It’s taken time, but we’ve been coming for quite many years now. It’s so lovely for us to see our existing stockists, but also to meet new people. And Coterie provides that.
How do you make knitwear or cashmere approachable to wear year-round?
When we are looking at designing the Spring collection, we always try to get a lighter feel into the knitwear, a lighter gage and more of a stitch effect. We know especially in Europe, but in all different states and parts of the USA, not every evening is tropical. It’s nice to have a beautiful cover-up, or a beautiful throw, or a beautiful cardigan that you can just layer over your summer dress.
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