In Profile: SugarLane

Focused On Fashion Below: Bev Allen, fashion buying consultant at Joe Davies, wears the Bethany dress from SugarLane’s Spring/Summer collection.

As more and more gift retailers continue to invest in fashion, Joe Davies has stepped up to the plate with the launch of SugarLane, a brand new, exclusive capsule concept that made its successful -and very colourful - debut at Spring Fair.

So who’s behind the brand, what’s sashaying down the SugarLane catwalk this season, and what’s in the pipeline for Autumn/Winter?

SugarLane’s fashion supremo, Bev Allen, invited PG&H to take a front row seat.

As people looked to treat themselves or a friend during the pandemic, fashion became an essential category for many independent gift retailers and lifestyle stores of all shapes and sizes. And with the demise of stores such as Debenhams, more and more people have been looking to independents, to include independent gift retailers, to fill the fashion gap. With that in mind, and with a finger on the pulse of what their customers want, Joe Davies took the decision to launch its own exclusive fashion brand, SugarLane, with Bev Allen appointed as fashion buying consultant.

For Bev, it was a very exciting moment when the bold, colourful Spring/Summer collection, (available to order now from Joe Davies), was unveiled at Spring Fair. Reminiscent of the seaside and holidays - think summer brights in strong yellows and vivid blues -there were striking patterns a plenty for dresses, pants, tops and kaftans, complemented with wardrobe basics to include summery white trousers, T-shirts, and much more besides.

“It was great to be able to get involved right at the start of such an exciting project,” enthuses Bev, whose impressive fashion credentials include working with brands such as George at Asda and Bravissimo (for more curvy shapes). “Despite the challenge of having to work with the factories on Zoom, due to the pandemic and not being able to travel, we’ve put together a commercial collection of quality fashion garments, with two practical size solutions - S/M and M/L - which will fit most women,” she explains. “Everything is designed in the UK and is exclusive and unique, created with the planet in mind.” (See Sustainably Speaking on page 49).

Starting out with a full range of trend boards, Bev’s aim was to ensure that everything would fit together to create solutions, resulting in two core capsules - Monotone Twist and Navy Zest - enabling colours and prints to cohesively mix and match. She says that newer and first-time fashion buyers have been delighted with the ‘ready to go’ capsules, while more experienced fashion buyers have been enthusiastically purchasing across the range to add to their existing fashion offer. Of course, with space at a premium in many of the smaller independents, one concern has been whether there would be room in store to display and

Below left: Ruby mini gingham print dress. Below right: Mia shirt dress in mango sorbet; Esme Atlantic cami with Persian palazzo pants.

stock the garments. However, Bev has ensured that everything fits comfortably onto one rail, and that shops can re-order ‘Little and Often’ as with all other Joe Davies products. “It means that stockrooms aren’t overflowing and, with two sizes, customers are getting better fitting garments,” she points out, “especially as a lot of fashion buyers now seem to be a bit fed up with one size clothing.”

Products are sourced from India and Sri Lanka, with Bev praising the amazing colours and stunning fabrics and yarns that are available in both countries. “The factories employ highly skilled workers, with ethical sourcing as important to them as it is to us,” she states. “In addition, there are certain designs, such as the dip dye effect, that you can’t find anywhere else.”

With a keen eye for finishes, Bev highlights that SugarLane is also about how it’s the smallest details that can make the biggest difference to a garment. This includes, for example, having exactly the

Right: The Sofia maxi dress features a sunset ombre. Above: Lauren sorbet tropical print dress; Amy shirt in mango sorbet with Lily turn-up pants. Right: Pippa navy paint spot dress; Leah palazzo palm pants with a white Amy shirt.

right buttons and putting a velvet trim on a waistband. But finding solutions for different body shapes is also paramount, particularly for curvier women. “We’ve addressed wider shoulder straps, as well as putting in shearing at the back of tops and dresses to ensure that people don’t have to go up a size. And we’ve also put little frills on the wider straps which adds another pretty design detail.”

So what comes next for SugarLane? “We’ll be launching our Autumn/Winter collection at Harrogate Home & Gift in July, and I’m really excited about the gorgeous, rich colour palette,” enthuses Bev. “There’ll be lots of sapphires and rubies, as well as emerald greens, and, of course, a myriad of prints. In addition, we’ll be introducing some wonderful animal print designs with a bit of a twist, alongside pleather and sunray pleated skirts, plus much, much more.” And although

Sustainably Speaking

Protecting the planet is a very important part of the SugarLane brand. “Wherever possible, our polyesters are made from recycled plastics, and we are working with our partners to source natural fabrics responsibly, with everything ethically sourced,” confirms Bev.” Every garment features its own swing tag too, highlighting not only its sustainability credentials, but also elements related to fabric and design.” the collection is, again, full of brights, for those who are more reticent about wearing colour, there are items such as a plain black T-shirt to calm things down.

“Bev has started something from scratch that is very complicated to do, and she has presented it in a really simple, easy way for people who have never done fashion before,” summarises Joe Davies’ commercial director Paul Hooker. “It’s a complete solution for those who are prepared to give it a go without taking much of a risk, and that’s what makes it so exciting for our customers.”

A Few Of Bev’s Favourite Things...

What does someone who has spent their career in fashion choose when it comes to their own wardrobe? “It’s an interesting question,” muses Bev. “In fact, my personal fashion style varies quite a lot. I wear several different ‘looks’, especially monotone print, and frequently go in and out of them. Mostly though, I love colour and pattern, which is reflected in the brand, and I’m also a huge fan of lovely knitwear in the winter.” Currently, emerald green is her colour of choice, “but I’ll be wearing more sapphire blue as we go into Autumn/Winter. Additionally, I also love a bit of navy,” adds Bev.

If she had to choose a favourite piece from the current SugarLane Spring/Summer collection, she says it would have to be the gilded palm dress. “I love a gold print, and also, that it’s monotone with colour.”

She’s also rather fond of two multi-purpose SugarLane dresses that can be dressed up with a fascinator and high heels or dressed down with a pair of trainers. “We also have a kimono that can be worn around the house as a cover up, or accessorised for a night out,” she points out.

As she says, buying new clothes makes someone feel good about themselves, giving them extra confidence. “Thankfully, we’ve all moved on from the pandemic when people spent their days in loungewear or jogging pants. Now there’s a desire to wear something different. And when you wear colour it’s just like seeing the sunshine. You can’t help but feel happy.”