Really Wild: Clothing That Transcends Fashion & Trends

11 months ago

Really Wild is a Great British Brand 2024

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Really Wild: Clothing That Transcends Fashion & Trends

Really Wild is an entry in our Great British Brands 2024 book.

Really Wild: Great British Brand 2024

‘The success of Really Wild Clothing is down to a dedicated, visionary team. The saying, “It takes a village to raise a child” is how I feel about our company. Our brand stands for quality, which ultimately means longevity and sustainability. We do not create clothes for today and tomorrow. We want people to enjoy our designs for many years, and have therefore always invested in the best quality fabrics and workmanship: we still use the same Scottish mills as we did when we started in 2002 because no one makes better tweed. That decision to make clothing that endures has proved prescient, because people now expect companies to put thoughtfulness, authenticity and sustainability at the top of their brand values.

The pandemic brought about opportunities – we emerged with greater awareness of how important innovation and adaptability were to survival, and a realisation that technology, including artificial intelligence, was integral to that. Fortunately, we had already migrated our servers to cloud-based platforms in 2019. This meant we could seamlessly transition to remote working and could therefore focus our attention on other ways in which technology could work harder for us. We invested heavily in boosting our online presence. Our revamped website, social media and online campaigns have introduced us to a wider customer base and have subsequently brought more people to our London store.

Automation is enabling us to analyse and meet the needs of people in a more tailored way. Our finance and marketing teams use it to streamline their workflow, and we’ve integrated it into our communication with production teams. I still design on paper with a pen, though, and that won’t change. However, I am surrounded by talented people who are taking Really Wild Clothing into the future with new ways of working.’

Natalie Lake, Managing Director

Five Proudest Moments

The opening of our London store, on Sloane Street, in 2019 remains a highpoint. It was the culmination of everyone’s hard work. We felt as if we had arrived.
Using the lockdowns to think about what our business would look like on the other side and to act accordingly.
In 2022 we celebrated 20 years of working with the same woollen mills in Scotland. They have been making our tweed since we started. I value that relationship enormously.
We designed our new website during the pandemic. Since then, we have been updating it to provide a great customer experience. The response to it has been extremely positive.
We did the Chelsea Flower Show for the first time in 2023. Our clothing just flew, and we were buzzing for weeks after. It was a terrific validation of our business.

What I’ve Learnt

Always maintain standards. You will lose your customers if you compromise on quality.
You can find inspiration anywhere. Don’t be afraid to innovate and try new things.
Listen to and learn from your team. They have different skills, experiences and awareness. They will take your business forward.