Despite a downturn in high-heel sales in 2020, Sarah Flint grew by diversifying products and strategically hiring former Kate Spade CMO Mary Beech as CEO. This episode dives into how embracing new leadership and focusing on operational processes allowed a luxury footwear brand to not only survive but scale during a challenging year, offering valuable lessons for all DTC brands on adaptability and strategic growth.
Key takeaways
Luxury brands can defy market trends by understanding emotional consumer drivers; Sarah Flint's heels remained top sellers because women bought with 'hearts more than heads.'
Strategic product diversification into "pandemic-friendly" categories like house shoes and silk scarves can mitigate risk and open new revenue streams during market shifts.
Bringing in seasoned executive talent, like Mary Beech from Kate Spade, can provide crucial operational expertise to scale a brand beyond a founder's 'big ideas and scrappiness.'
Founders should recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and proactively seek leadership that complements their vision with processes and infrastructure for growth.
Building a robust foundation of operational processes is key for DTC brands to transition from nimble startups to scalable "lifestyle brands."
According to NPD, sales of high heels were down more than 70% in 2020. But Sarah Flint was an exception to the rule. “Heels are pumps were still our top-selling category,” said Sarah Flint, founder and creative director of her namesake brand, on the latest Glossy Podcast. “There is not a real explanation for that, other than maybe women buy with their hearts more than their heads sometimes.”
Even so, the brand rounded out its products in 2020 with more pandemic-friendly categories, including silk scarves, stationary and house shoes. In March, it also grew its executive team, with the appointment of Mary Beech, formerly CMO of Kate Spade. “As we scaled, while I was great with the big ideas and being scrappy, there were really a lot of processes that needed to be put into place -- not my strong suit,” Flint said, of the hire.
As for Beech, “I was looking for a brand that was responding to all the changes in consumer behavior that I was seeing," she said. "Honestly, I thought that meant leaving fashion. And then I met Sarah, who looks at where the hockey puck is going. She definitely is always questioning the status quo… I've been at some of the best lifestyle brands out there, and I saw that Sarah has what it takes to be the next great American lifestyle brand. So I thought, 'I have to be there, small or not.'"
Luxury brands can defy market trends by understanding emotional consumer drivers; Sarah Flint's heels remained top sellers because women bought with 'hearts more than heads.'
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Strategic product diversification into "pandemic-friendly" categories like house shoes and silk scarves can mitigate risk and open new revenue streams during market shifts.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Bringing in seasoned executive talent, like Mary Beech from Kate Spade, can provide crucial operational expertise to scale a brand beyond a founder's 'big ideas and scrappiness.'
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Founders should recognize their strengths and weaknesses, and proactively seek leadership that complements their vision with processes and infrastructure for growth.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Building a robust foundation of operational processes is key for DTC brands to transition from nimble startups to scalable "lifestyle brands."
