Eye on Fashion seen great growth in the past year on our social channels but we’re putting plans in place for an even greater focus on content at the proper level. It’s important that this is pitched and delivered at a sufficiently high level to match our brand values,” said Donald.
REMUS UOMO:
Delivering Finely Tailored Brand Growth From the Ulster Rugby’s Kingspan Stadium to the podium at The Brewery in East London, menswear brand REMUS UOMO is on a winning run. Business Eye talked to Donald Finlay, Managing Director of the Northern Ireland-based brand owner, Douglas & Grahame, about driving continual success in the volatile world of fashion.
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he ethos behind the REMUS UOMO brand is ‘understated sophistication’, reflected in quality cloth, sharp tailoring and subtle detailing. The result is a menswear range that moves seamlessly from sharp in the city to casual with class. It’s a look that has just recently won what is considered to be the highest accolade in the industry: the Menswear Brand of the Year at the prestigious Drapers Independents Award 2016, held at The Brewery, East London. “We were truly delighted,” said Donald. “Firstly, we were nominated by our retailers, which is an endorsement in itself and then we came out on top from a shortlist of 8 brands,
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amongst them the likes of Paul Smith, Ted Baker, Fred Perry and Farah. It’s a valued mark of respect from the trade.” Under one roof This is a company with a long, traditional tailoring history that has continually reinvented its clothing to remain at the forefront. Douglas & Grahame was founded in 1924 and taken over by Donald’s father, Dixie in the mid ‘60s. For the family business, the secret of longevity has been to keep the dedication to tailoring alive by merging it with the best materials, leading edge design, an eye for detail and sound business practices. The company consolidated its operations into one location with the opening of its Carrickfergus headquarters in 2009, an investment of £7million that included all business functions, an impressive showroom suite and a 100,000 square feet, state-of-the-art warehousing operation. The custom-designed hanging system specifically for tailored garments can house up to one million garments at any time.
Marketing matters Keeping the REMUS UOMO brand at the forefront of quality men’s fashion requires a heavy investment in marketing. “With a brand like REMUS UOMO, image is everything, so marketing is central, but also very carefully planned: whatever we do, we do with forethought,” said Donald. The sustained activity in upmarket print media and brochures has been augmented by a strategic partnership with Ulster Rugby, which sees the squad sharply tailored on match days in bespoke REMUS UOMO outfits. Donald commented: “My son, Adam had a clear vision of what this could deliver, showcasing the REMUS UOMO menswear collection in a dynamic and impactful way in keeping with our brand values.” The last year has seen significant investment in Douglas & Grahame’s digital services with a new trade customer site just launched and a new REMUS UOMO website and online shop launching in early 2017. Social media marketing has been a part of the mix for the brand for a while now but the company has ambition plans to drive growth in this area. “We’ve
Independent spirit The independent retail channel is Douglas & Grahame’s preferred route to market. “We focus on finding wholesalers and retailers who are positioned in the right trade segment and we build lasting business relationships,” explained Donald. As a result, the company has a strong network of retail stockists throughout all Ireland and the UK, supported by the trade sales team and showrooms in Dublin, London, Manchester and showrooms and a sales and administration office in the English Midlands. Alongside this, the company has embarked on a vertical channel development programme with company owned, REMUS UOMO branded retail outlets in Belfast’s Victoria Square and Glasgow’s Silverburn Shopping Centre. Having recently acquired an excellent retail site in Dublin, the company will open its third shop early in 2017 and has plans for further store openings on a wholly owned or franchised basis Focus on the future Douglas & Grahame is not resting on its laurels. “We are currently going through a significant succession planning process, which is making us look at all aspects of our business,” said Donald. The process has brought Andrew Louden, a respected figure in the trade, into the company as Commercial Director, with Adam Finlay as Design Director. Both posts are focused on growth in existing and new markets. In this regard, BREXIT will not stand in the way. “Of course there is an element of uncertainty and we would have concerns about how European outcomes will impact on our business competitiveness in Ireland,” said Donald, “but we are looking at a range of markets, including the Middle and the Far East. We can’t afford to lose our business focus.”