Is there a formula for fashion brand success that goes beyond quality and design?

Community, collaboration, and unwavering focus on the customer.

In comes KITRI – the cool girl, high-fashion brand you can actually afford.

For this episode of the podcast, Verity sits down with Haeni Kim (Founder & Creative Director @ KITRI) to uncover the real story of building a beloved cult brand. Defying industry norms, this former dancer turned fashion entrepreneur knows how to stay on pointe – putting women center stage in every design, with a community-first mindset.

Listen in as she and Verity discuss the realities of marketing in fashion’s current landscape, and the tactics needed to create a brand that sticks around for the long haul. To Haeni, winning the long game means continually listening to – and learning from – your community.

According to the expert, you should…

• Creating Community-Centric Buzz: It is vital to get direct feedback from your customers, and actively build something a community could care about, from day one. Through exclusive but regular drops and carefully curated edits, Haeni created a routine for KITRI shoppers to look forward to. The power of word-of-mouth – with customers creating their own WhatsApp groups to predict the next drops and share their buying plans – holds all the power.

• Balancing Brand With Performance: Haeni learned the hard way that an over-focus on performance marketing can quickly deplete brand strength. The pivot in 2022 to long-term brand building is a crucial lesson for all marketers. If you’re not nailing brand, no amount of sales can save you for long.

• Turning Customer Complaints Into Advocacy Opportunities: KITRI’s approach to customer feedback, especially bad reviews, is golden. By actively listening and addressing concerns, Haeni & her team have managed to turn most dissatisfied customers into loyal Brand Advocates. She shares how you can, too.

Press play to put community first when setting your brand apart, ensuring its story is told for years to come.

Rate & review Building Brand Advocacy:

Apple Podcasts

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Connect with Haeni:

On Instagram

On KITRI’s Instagram

On KITRI’s Website