From Kitchen Tables to High Street Shelves: The WAT The Brand Success Story
Three friends turned their shared passion for fashion and a serendipitous connection into a thriving loungewear business now stocked in Marks & Spencer.
The loungewear brand WAT The Brand, founded by stylist Sarah Ellis, former YOU fashion director Philippa Ross, and retail expert Nicky Green, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a place on the shelves of Marks & Spencer. The trio invested £30,000 each to launch their business in March 2021, operating initially from their kitchen tables during the lockdown period.
Their debut collection featured 11 loungewear pieces and two childrenswear sets, which reportedly sold out within ten minutes. "It was unbelievable," Ross stated, reflecting on the rapid success of their venture, which was built remotely during a challenging time. "But we were on to something special."
Ellis and Ross first met at a fashion event in 2010 and discovered a striking synchronicity in their lives, from sharing a Christmas temp job at Dune to having fathers with the same name. This similarity extended to their grandparents having holidayed together. Their shared experiences and parallel paths led them to create 'We Are Twinset,' an early fashion and lifestyle blog. "Twinning with your best friend was our USP," Ross explained. "We would capture ourselves wearing one item two different ways. These days, everyone is an influencer, but back then no one was doing it."
The blog, launched in 2014, gained a significant following, prompting Ellis and Ross to transition into full-time blogging four years later. Their initial sponsored post was for Marks & Spencer, featuring a little black dress styled in two different ways, which resonated well with their audience.
Today, their Instagram account, @wearetwinset, boasts over 800,000 followers. Before establishing WAT The Brand, they brought Nicky Green, who had extensive retail experience with brands like River Island and Kurt Geiger, onto the team to develop their commercial strategy.
The brand's current focus is on timeless wardrobe staples, including coordinated sets, t-shirts, and blazers. Their £98 Blake barrel jeans are noted as a current bestseller. Among the items exclusively available at M&S are the £165 Everyday raincoat in brown and the £68 puff-sleeve cardigan in black.
WAT The Brand has faced challenges, including a near-disastrous pre-order situation. After their initial success, they attempted to manage demand through pre-orders, but the subsequent batch of goods from their supplier in Turkey had significant quality issues. "Every seam, every colour was wrong. We couldn’t sell it," Ross recounted. The founders personally contacted approximately 400 customers to apologize and issue refunds, a move Ross described as "pretty good service" and a valuable lesson learned. They have since vowed to avoid pre-orders.
The brand's collaboration with Marks & Spencer is projected to last for at least five years. "If we could have a lucky star, M&S would eventually buy our brand," Ross expressed, indicating aspirations for a long-term partnership.