Ba&sh CEO Desiree Thomas details how the fashion brand achieved record sales in 2021 through "explosive growth" in both retail stores and digital channels. The episode explores how Ba&sh capitalized on renewed consumer desire for fashion post-pandemic, focusing on brand values like joy and female empowerment. Thomas outlines an ambitious growth strategy for 2022, including new store openings, pop-ups, and influencer collaborations.
Key takeaways
Retailers should double down on omnichannel strategies, as Ba&sh saw "explosive growth" in both physical stores and digital channels post-pandemic.
Aligning brand values with consumer sentiment, such as "joy" and "female empowerment" in fashion, can drive significant engagement and sales.
Strategic physical expansion, including new store openings in untapped markets and pop-ups, remains a viable growth lever alongside digital efforts.
Influencer collaborations are a key component of Ba&sh's future growth strategy, indicating their continued effectiveness in fashion marketing.
Strong leadership with a clear growth vision is crucial for navigating dynamic retail landscapes and achieving ambitious sales targets.
Over the last two years, the fashion industry has experienced plenty of ups and downs – but 19-year-old contemporary brand Ba&sh has managed to remain on the upswing for the last 10 months.
“[2021] was a record year,” Desiree Thomas, CEO of Ba&sh North America, said on the latest Glossy Podcast. “Since the middle of March last year, we’ve seen this excitement around getting dressed again; a lot of women are just wanting to take a moment for themselves and celebrate the joys of life.”
As a result, Ba&sh has seen “explosive growth” in each of its sales channels. “We saw retail explode in all of our freestanding stores in North America,” she said. “And digital was also on fire.”
Thomas joined Ba&sh in May 2021, after serving as brand president for 3.1 Phillip Lim and holding top sales roles at BCBGMaxAzria and Nicole Miller. She said she was lured by the brand’s focus on “joy, female femininity and empowerment.” Ba&sh was founded in France in 2003 by entrepreneurs and best friends Barbara Boccara and Sharon Krief, whose first names were combined to create the brand name. Moving forward, Thomas plans to maintain the brand’s trajectory by opening more stores, including in first-time markets like Greenwich and Aventura, hosting pop-ups and collaborating with influencers, among other strategies, “We have a very ambitious growth strategy in place,” she said. “We are going to see double-digit growth this year, for sure.”
