Little Mistress, an online womenswear brand, is exploring physical retail expansion through pop-up stores in London.
- Founder Mark Ashton announced the intent to establish a tangible retail presence as crucial for brand visibility.
- The strategy includes balancing online and offline retail to effectively showcase the brand’s offerings.
- Flexible leasing terms are vital for Little Mistress, ensuring profitable collaboration with landlords.
- Poeticgem, which acquired Little Mistress’s brand IP, will handle the design and distribution.
Little Mistress, initially established in 2010 as a direct-to-consumer online brand, is now seeking to broaden its reach by venturing into the world of brick-and-mortar retail. The brand is planning to open pop-up stores in prominent London locations, as confirmed by founder Mark Ashton on 20 August. Ashton highlighted that maintaining a presence in physical retail spaces is essential for showcasing the brand effectively, which can be challenging when limited to digital operations.
Over the next year, Little Mistress aims to adopt a strategy that balances both online and offline retail operations to enhance its brand visibility. Ashton emphasised that for a brand such as Little Mistress, conveying its message solely through an online platform is inadequate. By integrating physical store experiences, the brand hopes to better present its offerings to customers.
A crucial component of Little Mistress’s retail expansion plan is securing the right leasing terms for its pop-up stores. Ashton expressed the importance of finding mutually beneficial agreements with landlords, suggesting that flexibility in leasing can lead to successful outcomes for both parties involved. “We are ready if the landlord takes a view on how we can all profit from this project,” he stated.
Little Mistress’s growth strategy is further supported by its acquisition by Poeticgem, a member of the PDS Group. This acquisition, completed in September 2023, places the brand’s design, sourcing, and global distribution capabilities under the aegis of Poeticgem. This strategic move aims to strengthen the brand’s presence not only in the UK but also in international markets.
Little Mistress has made collaborations with public figures a part of its brand identity, having partnered with media personalities such as Vogue Williams. Additionally, its products are stocked by major retailers, including Asos, Matalan, New Look, and Sainsbury’s. The brand is recognised for creating white-label products for various high street fashion retailers.
Little Mistress aims to redefine its retail strategy by balancing online engagement with physical retail experiences, supported by strategic partnerships.
