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During the height of Melbourne’s longest lockdown in July 2020, I was utterly dismayed by the number of local businesses facing shutdown, including my own luxe handbag business She Lion.
COVID19 dramatically changed the need our product serves, it turns out people don’t need fancy bags to carry their laptop around the house!
Faced with great uncertainty, working from home (some of us with two kids under three), minimal capital from significantly dwindled sales (more than 40% losses) and increased freight and logistics costs (+30%), I was keen to broaden our offering and find a way to support other local businesses facing similar uncertainty.
Domestic production of leather handbags, sadly, was not an option. The once plentiful Australian textile, manufacturing industry no longer exists and the majority of leather makers and handbag construction specialists no longer operate (or not at scale) in local markets.
I knew that the business needed to transform to survive. Armed with the mantra, “Actually, I can” (and little knowledge about whether we actually could) we pivoted to create an entirely new product category, intending to inspire and stimulate customers to buy local.
Over the course of 6 months and multiple lockdowns (including one complete standstill), we pulled together an almost entirely Melbourne, and wholly Australian supply-chain. The chain recruited 20+ local makers and suppliers to create 100% cotton, Australian milled and manufactured unbrushed fleece, soft-washed, dyed, sampled, graded, screen printed, embroidered, constructed and sewn, sweatshirts emblazoned with the words “Actually, I Can” and “Support Local”.
The average customer knows very little about manufacturing garments. So many processes involved are unseen, often occurring offshore. To truly ‘Support Local’ every element in the manufacturing of the sweatshirts possible, was kept in Australia. At significant cost to our small business of more than 70% of capital to set-up and manufacture.
As I'm sure you noticed, 2020 also saw a real shift in our marketing communications to become wholly transparent and vulnerable. We shared lessons learned from running the business through crisis, including the downs as much as the ups. Therefore, revealing what goes on behind the “Add to Cart” button became integral to this campaign.
Our mission is to help the wider community understand what “Support Local” really means and how “Actually, I can” should become everyone’s mantra for 2021 and beyond.
We have been blown away by the support received. Every person in the supply chain went out of their way to educate and support us as newbies to the garment game.
Excitingly, the new range and accompanying video journey have come together - idea to finished product - in just under 10 months (officially launched just under 12 months).
Despite many logistical delays, stage 4 restrictions, naysayers, remote working challenges, small children at home, and everything else that lockdowns threw at us, we have remained true to our mission, because supporting local is personal and, actually… together, we can!
Watch the full story about the sweatshirts and the team behind them here:
Australian businesses involved:
You’re invited to participate in the biggest SALE we’ve ever done!
This is going to work differently from a “normal” sale. We love finding ways to deliver ludicrous value to our precious customers and we think you’ll be excited to join us!
Colleen Callander is one of the most inspiring and influential leaders in business, with an impressive career with some of Australia’s largest corporations that span decades. These were our favourite tips from her impressive keynote speech on IWD 2022...
The thing about networking is; if you feel uncomfortable doing it, you’re doing it wrong.
Networking is about mingling with the intention to share information, offer gifts of time, a listening ear, some advice, or provide a connection to someone else that may be able to assist.
