Bringing a 40 year old South African luxury fashion house into the 21st century
From the initial planning phase to the project’s completion, I assisted Law of Leather in modernizing their administrative operations and marketing strategy, while mitigating the risks faced by their business. This involved creating automations to streamline invoicing and inventory management, developing a comprehensive marketing plan and messaging approach, and equipping the founders with the necessary tools to comfortably adapt to these changes.
What's the problem?
Law of Leather, a bespoke luxury and leather brand from Cape Town, South Africa, has faced several challenges:
- Aging Workforce and Skilled Labour Shortage: The company’s skilled workforce is aging, and there’s a shortage of skilled labor to replace them.
- Transition in Leadership: The business is transitioning from its original owners, Anna and Phil Jones, to their daughter Tiffany, who has a new vision for the company.
- Outdated Record Keeping: The company relied heavily on paper records and was strictly offline, leading to issues with data analysis, inventory management, and invoice processing.
- Measurements: The bespoke nature of the business means that measurements of each buyer need to be taken in person. However, this is not practical given that the buyer may be in a different location and may not be able to visit the offices or have someone from the team visit them.
- Impact of Covid-19: The pandemic led to the loss of 200 out of nearly 250 retail outlets that the company supplied with white-labelled goods.
- Currency Depreciation: The fall of the South African Rand resulted in significant financial losses.
What's our solution?
To address these challenges and modernize Law of Leather, the following solutions were implemented:
- Automated Systems: Developed a no-cost system using Google Forms, Docs, and Sheets to automate invoicing, inventory management, and customer relationship management.
- Digital Marketing Plan: Created a comprehensive digital marketing plan that included:
- Low-cost website development.
- A database of designers and copywriters to set up a content engine for the brand.
- A database of trade shows and boutiques across South Africa to promote their products and services.
- Skilled Workforce Database: Compiled a database of individuals in Cape Town with relevant skills to help replace the aging workforce.
- Google My Business Optimization: Set up and optimize Google My Business to increase lead generation via Google.
- Tailor Model: A network of over 200 tailors across major South African hubs such as Johannesburg and Cape Town was sourced so that they can be contracted if measurements need to be taken.
(No cost invoicing and inventory management automation tool)
What was the outcome?
The solutions implemented led to significant positive outcomes for Law of Leather:
- Improved Documentation: Every new sale is now documented, streamlining the sales process. Automated inventory recording solutions have led to reduction in unnecessary purchasing and a subsequent 10% reduction in raw material costs.
- Successful Trade Shows: The brand successfully ran its first 3 trade shows since transitioning the business model.
- Relaunch Success: Conducted a successful brand relaunch using influencer contacts and designers sourced by the team.
- Increased Inquiries: Optimization of Google My Business resulted in a 300% increase in daily inquiries.
- Increased Conversions: The tailor network has helped convert more customers who in prior cases would have been hesitant to travel to the offices.
Overall, the project successfully addressed the company’s challenges, modernized its operations, and positioned it for future growth and success.
