Jennifer Fisher, founder of her namesake luxury jewelry brand, discusses her strategic shift from a pure DTC model to an omnichannel approach, embracing wholesale and physical retail to scale her business. She shares insights on the importance of brick-and-mortar for luxury goods and her ambitious plans for brand expansion into new lifestyle categories like home decor and beauty, emphasizing a "never say never" attitude towards growth.
Key takeaways
Embrace omnichannel: While DTC is valuable, physical retail and wholesale are crucial for luxury brands to allow customers to 'touch and feel' products, driving further growth.
Strategic retail expansion: Opening flagship stores in key cities and partnering with established retailers like Saks significantly boosts brand visibility and accessibility.
Diversify thoughtfully: Expand into new product categories (e.g., home, beauty, food) only if they align with the brand's established aesthetic and cater to the loyal customer base, transforming into a holistic lifestyle brand.
Founder-led growth: The founder's vision and adaptability are critical for steering strategic shifts, such as moving from DTC-only to an omnichannel model and exploring new product verticals.
Prioritize customer experience: Understanding where and how customers want to interact with your brand (especially for tactile luxury items) should guide retail strategy and expansion efforts.
Leverage brand equity: Utilize a strong brand name to strategically extend into new product categories, creating a holistic lifestyle brand around your core offerings.
Jennifer Fisher may have fallen into launching her fine and brass namesake jewelry brand in 2006, but she's proving she's got a knack for scaling the company.
Since its inception, Fisher has grown her company into a lifestyle brand. She opened its first West Coast store in 2021, which she followed with a location in NYC's Soho neighborhood in June. The brand is also available in eight Saks stores across the U.S. "When I started this brand, I didn't want to rely on wholesale. I started this company out of my bedroom selling direct-to-consumer, customizable fine jewelry. My intention for the brand was to stay true to that. … [Jennifer Fisher] never had a large-scale wholesale business intentionally. But that is now changing," Fisher said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "We still love our DTC model. But for the growth of [the brand], it's important for us to be in other cities so people can touch and feel the jewelry. We've noticed with opening up [our] two stores how important is for people to actually see [the jewelry]." As Fisher plans for 2023, she says nothing is off the table. From food and home decor to fragrance and beauty, the founder is ready to explore and expand into every category that makes sense for the brand. "I never say never," she said
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Embrace omnichannel: While DTC is valuable, physical retail and wholesale are crucial for luxury brands to allow customers to 'touch and feel' products, driving further growth.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Strategic retail expansion: Opening flagship stores in key cities and partnering with established retailers like Saks significantly boosts brand visibility and accessibility.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Diversify thoughtfully: Expand into new product categories (e.g., home, beauty, food) only if they align with the brand's established aesthetic and cater to the loyal customer base, transforming into a holistic lifestyle brand.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Founder-led growth: The founder's vision and adaptability are critical for steering strategic shifts, such as moving from DTC-only to an omnichannel model and exploring new product verticals.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Prioritize customer experience: Understanding where and how customers want to interact with your brand (especially for tactile luxury items) should guide retail strategy and expansion efforts.
