Perpetual Innovation – Exclusive interview with the Editor-in-Chief of THREADS Styling, Rachel Ingram

WORDS: AMY SESSIONS

Perpetual Innovation

THREADS was always a step ahead of the game in the luxury space, but how do they maintain their position and a sense of entrepreneurialism? Editor-in-Chief Rachel Ingram explains exactly how

IMAGES: GETTY AND SUPPLIED

What do the first 30 minutes of your day look like, your morning routine? I wake up to the giggles of three small children, have a shot of espresso and then go for a run around Highgate Woods before breakfast with the kids. How have your previous roles supported your current role at Threads? I worked for years styling magazine fashion shoots and choosing the hottest pieces of the season to feature. When I moved to Net-a-Porter as Global Head of Styling I loved that thrill of translating editorial fashion into how a real person would wear it. That’s something I’ve definitely taken with me to Threads – that and my love of finding the hottest new season accessory! Tell us how the brand has evolved since you joined and how you maintain a sense of entrepreneurialism throughout the business. We have gone from a team of 60 when I started to 200 plus people and it’s definitely meant more structure and process, however there is such a spirit of ‘intrapreneurship’ at Threads that has never left – the empowerment that if you feel something could work, you should give it a try. How do you balance the creative and commercial sides of the business and do you feel more drawn to one than the other? I love that balance of commerciality with creative – it’s the reason I left the magazine world. There is nothing more thrilling than the direct feedback from customers of something selling out after you post or hearing the sales come in while on an Instagram Live shopping session! Threads launched initially on Instagram. Which platform now drives the majority of sales? We have seen consistently great engagement on Snapchat, especially in the Middle East and our TikTok is full of hilarious videos. However, Instagram is still our biggest sales driver. Do you see buying patterns globally or within the GCC and which pieces drive sales season after season? Our clients travel constantly so although we definitely work to seasonal calendars, we find that we have a far more fluid market than many other retailers and sell sandals and resort wear year-round. Our sales of abayas and kaftans peak around February and March ahead of Ramadan, eveningwear in September and October and skiwear around December for the ski season. We love to host pop-ups in the region to support these sales and will definitely be heading to the GCC in October to host some fabulous pop-ups! What have been the biggest challenges to date and how did you overcome them? Having to wear so many hats can be a bit of a challenge at times. Switching from being Threads’ authority on fashion, to building out an annual social strategy calendar, to ensuring the content we feature supports sales targets, to launching our website visu-

“Using change to my advantage has driven me forward in my career so much over the last 10 years.”

als – it’s always a juggle! The key has always been the team I work with – driven, passionate and talented creatives who really care about the work they do. What is your approach to leadership as generations become ever more entrepreneurial. How do businesses accommodate this? Sophie Hill, Threads Founder and CEO, has always led by encouraging entrepreneurship and some of our strongest departments in the business have come through innovation and identifying an opportunity – then seizing it. How do you approach scaling without compromising on quality? We have such a personalised service that our customers rely on, oneto-one relationships with personal shoppers that can never be replicated. We therefore had to develop technology to allow us to scale this incredible personal service without ever losing the Threads touch. Our new website (threadsstyling.com) is an amazing addition to allow self-checkout for those who want to. What advice would you give to your younger self? To be open to change and don’t assume that change comes with negative connotations. Using change to my advantage has driven me forward in my career so much over the last 10 years.