Batsheva Hay, founder of the eponymous dress brand, shares her unconventional journey from lawyer to successful fashion designer. The episode reveals how recreating a beloved vintage dress sparked her brand, which saw explosive growth during the pandemic due to the "house dress" trend and a pivotal celebrity endorsement. Hay discusses expanding into new categories and considering fundraising to achieve her vision of becoming this generation's Laura Ashley.
Key takeaways
Batsheva's brand experienced a significant sales boost and increased brand awareness after Ella Emhoff wore one of her designs at the 2021 inauguration, demonstrating the power of high-profile celebrity endorsements.
The brand successfully capitalized on a shift in consumer behavior during the pandemic by promoting the "house dress" as a comfortable yet stylish option for at-home wear, leading to a substantial portion of their business.
Batsheva's expansion into new product categories like furniture and collaborations with designers such as Anna Sui illustrate diversified growth strategies beyond core offerings.
The consideration of external fundraising, after years of self-funding, indicates a strategic pivot for rapid scaling and achieving long-term brand legacy goals.
Batsheva Hay's journey highlights how a personal passion for a specific aesthetic, starting with a vintage Laura Ashley dress, can be successfully translated into a thriving and recognizable brand identity.
Batsheva Hay has found success in the fashion industry by simply making what she likes. In 2016, she launched the dress brand Batsheva, which has seen accelerated growth since the start of the pandemic.
“I didn't set out to get into fashion at all,” Hay said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “I was actually a lawyer … and quit my job. And then I got excited to get dressed again in the way that I wanted, which included wearing lots of vintage clothing. I kept on going back to this thrifted Laura Ashley dress that I was just wearing to shreds… I found a pattern maker to remake it, but by that point, I’d changed [the concept] so much that it became a whole other Frankenstein creation. And that was the start, in my head, of wanting to make more.” And thus, Batsheva was born.
Luckily for Hay, her original concept proved to be popular during the pandemic. “At first, [everyone] was all about wearing sweatpants, sweatpants, sweatpants,” she said. “But then I started this idea of the house dress, or a printed dress that’s really cozy for home. And that's become a huge chunk of my business.”
Batsheva hit a lot of radars when Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris's stepdaughter, wore the brand to the 2021 inauguration. According to Hay, the resulting brand awareness worked wonders to drive sales: “I didn't know that it would be so huge. I got a big sales boost from it that I was not really prepared for.”
Since, Batsheva has collaborated with brands including Anna Sui and expanded to new categories including furniture. Next, though she’s never taken in outside investment, Hay is considering fundraising as she works toward becoming this generation’s Laura Ashley. “That's what I’m hoping for,” she said of the goal. “That’s on my vision board.”
Batsheva's brand experienced a significant sales boost and increased brand awareness after Ella Emhoff wore one of her designs at the 2021 inauguration, demonstrating the power of high-profile celebrity endorsements.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
The brand successfully capitalized on a shift in consumer behavior during the pandemic by promoting the "house dress" as a comfortable yet stylish option for at-home wear, leading to a substantial portion of their business.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Batsheva's expansion into new product categories like furniture and collaborations with designers such as Anna Sui illustrate diversified growth strategies beyond core offerings.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
The consideration of external fundraising, after years of self-funding, indicates a strategic pivot for rapid scaling and achieving long-term brand legacy goals.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Batsheva Hay's journey highlights how a personal passion for a specific aesthetic, starting with a vintage Laura Ashley dress, can be successfully translated into a thriving and recognizable brand identity.
