Finders Keepers: Meet Kidswear Collective, The E-Tailer Selling Pre-Loved Luxury Childrenswear
The sustainable shopping destination of your dreams is waiting…
For Shoshana Kazab, the owner of boutique public relations agency, Fuse Communications – a business exclusively focused on the luxury children’s space – it was an obvious move to launch a platform for pre-owned clothing. Here, the British-based founder of Kidswear Collective shares an insight into running an online store, and exclusively reveals that she is about to launch a pop-up concession space within Galeries Lafayette, Doha…
Why did you decide to launch an online childrenswear store with a focus on pre-loved fashion? Working as a publicist, I could see first-hand the waste, and felt compelled to do something about it. I have always been put off by marketplace-style websites with photographs of crumpled up clothes taken on a carpet, and I wanted to show that buying pre-loved can still feel special. So I created my own platform. I love making designer fashion more accessible.
How do you differ from other pre-owned clothing sites? We are a consignment store rather than a marketplace which is a big differentiator for me. This means that we hold all the stock and send it out directly to the customer. My goal is to change the perception of pre-owned fashion, and I see no reason why it can’t still feel like a luxury shopping experience. Curation is also really important to us, and we create online edits to provide inspiration. We also work with the industry’s best photographers and stylists to bring the garments to life.
Tell us about the process the pieces go through from being sourced, to being delivered to a consumer? Anyone can sell through us, they simply request a mailing bag online and we post it to them. We also work with influencers and many industry professionals including stylists and agents to source garments and samples, which means our access to stock is unrivalled. Our focus is very much on designer kids’ brands. I’ve never been a fan of fast fashion, so we don’t stock high-street brands.
Every garment that comes to us is inspected, authenticated, repaired (if necessary) and cleaned using our sustainable cleaning partner before being professionally photographed and added to our website with a full description and grading. The garments are sent out in our signature luxury recyclable packaging to complete the experience. We also offer a 30-day return. If something doesn’t fit, customers can send it back for a full refund. Trust is key when it comes to buying pre-loved, so we want to instil a sense of confidence with consumers.
Tell us about your charitable initiatives? We donate 2.5 per cent of every sale to the NSPCC. Our customers have the option to match our donation. We also donate what we can’t sell to charity.
What is the best part about being your own boss? I have always loved working for myself. You need to be disciplined and self-motivated – if you’re not, it’s not for you. I personally find it very rewarding and I love that I’m not answerable to anyone else. It’s a different type of pressure but I enjoy it. I couldn’t do what I do without having the best team around me.
What has been the biggest highlight? Definitely the first time we heard a sale come through on Shopify and we knew we were on to something. And then, when we opened our pop-up in Selfridges on Oxford Street, London on March 15, 2020. It was an incredible moment. The UK went into lockdown on March 22, which was terrible timing, but we got through it and in September that year, Selfridges made us a permanent fixture. We are now in three Selfridges stores and also have an online edit with them.
How did Covid-19 affect your business? Lockdown definitely presented us with our fair share of challenges but we, like all other businesses, just had to put our heads down and figure out a way through it. We actually ended up acquiring a large amount of stock as everyone was stuck at home with little to do. One of the things people did was clear out their wardrobes and it was also a great way for people to make a bit of extra money at the time.
We are super excited to learn you are launching a store in the Middle East. Tell us about it… 2022 has been an incredible year for Kidswear Collective so far and it has taken the business to places I couldn’t have dreamt of. We are so excited to be opening our first international pop-up this September and it’s right here in the Middle East.
We are opening a space in Galeries Lafayette, Doha, which will be open until the end of the year. It will be stocked with the very best that Kidswear Collective has to offer from 0 – 14 years. Ever since launching, we have had incredible support from our customers in the Middle East, which is why we are delighted to be able to bring the Kidswear Collective experience to the region, particularly with such a prestigious brand partner as Galeries Lafayette.
Visit KidswearCollective.com or follow Instagram.com/KidswearCollective to be one of the first to see new arrivals.
From the A/W22 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia Junior