Business Lessons From A Co-Founder of REPRESENT
Tell us how this all started, George…
I started the brand at 18. It was my first experience in the workplace aside from a fashion retail part-time job I had on the shop floor during college. My whole life has been directed by art. Everything I wanted to do from childhood was draw, paint, sketch and make things with my hands. When I look back, I didn't realise how ingrained fashion was in me. I had strong opinions on how I wanted my clothes to fit, and I would take pieces to my grandma, who would tailor them to my taste. Down the line, I realised that would be my brand's DNA.
What was the opportunity you saw?
Streetwear. The 2010s were the streetwear boom, and I was a huge follower of Diamond Supply, Supreme, Huf, and the street/skate culture of the West Coast of America. I thought we could become a British version of that, and so naively I put boxed logos on stock t-shirts to sell to my friends.
And what was your edge?
Originally, the concept was a singular product: bottoms that could be worn for all occasions, hence the name ‘247’. We figured shortly after entering the market that we could build the range out to keep consistent and progressive. At that time, Mike and I were really improving our fitness and implementing a gym into the business, which led to the 247 line becoming a line of active garments under the umbrella of REPRESENT. We had no clue whether this would be received well or denied by our consumer, but we pushed it and it became successful in its own right. Further development over the past two years means we’ve really been able to go into performance product, build its own team and handle its own channels, marketing and athletes.
What was the toughest challenge in the beginning?
I’d be lying if I didn’t say everything was a challenge. I bootstrapped this brand from £150 and a dream. I have had my head in every part of building a brand from standing in the Post Office with handwritten orders, to dealing with suppliers and logistics, while trying to be a designer, content creator and business owner.
And the biggest lesson you learnt?
Intellectual property. Making sure you own your brand name in the geographies you want to trade in is essential.
What’s your toughest challenge right now?
Currently, it’s time splitting. I’m now based in Los Angeles, whereas the core of the business and HQ is in Manchester, so time difference and Zoom calls are not ideal. I’m a people person and a physically active businessperson, so I love being in the meetings with the product, but equally, I need to be out here to grow our US market.
Tell us about your role in the business today…
As the founder and CEO, I managed all aspects of the business. In 2022, I hired a CEO to tackle the weaknesses I held within the business, creating a hugely positive shift within the brand. Areas that Mike and I didn’t have the capacity or know-how to cover during the time of ‘outgrowing’ ourselves then flourished. This also gave me a lot of time to focus not only on what I am good at, but also on my fitness, my vision for both REPRESENT and 247, and my personal profile.
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What does it take to build a brand through social media?
A lot of people like to discredit social media. However, it’s a free tool to display your brand, so it's a fantastic opportunity to get in front of your consumer quickly and execute your content well. We started the brand at the time of Instagram's inception, so that channel became our platform, and we’ve built a huge community through it. It takes patience – like anything you want to be successful in – patience combined with consistency and a lot of failure will eventually get you to the position you envision.
You’re now creative director. What inspires REPRESENT creatively?
A huge variety of concepts and ideas, past and present subcultures, locations, and scenes really inspire the mainline. I like to start a season or collection with a time and place, a reference point to curate the pieces into a theme, while maintaining the brand DNA through fits, fabrics, details and displays.
How do you measure success?
I think of success within the brand through the team first and foremost. If we’re all working hard together and enjoying our work, while hitting our goals around quality, product, content and numbers, that is success to me. Numbers play a huge part, but we try our best to always approach our storytelling, such as events or collection previews, with brand first.
What’s the biggest misconception about you or the brand?
I think the longevity of the brand. We only really grew exponentially from 2020, so we’re fairly new to most of our consumers, and we’re very new to the US market. But we’ve been doing this for nearly 15 years now. It’s been such a long, tough road that usually goes missed unless a person is delving into our history.
As a leader, what are your key traits?
Resilience, creativity, quick decision-making, and an ability to predict trends.
For anyone wanting to start a business, what’s your advice?
One thing I see is that the people who do this for a ‘big exit’ or quick monetary value are the ones who usually fail and move onto the next thing over and over. Personally, I want to do this forever, and I love my craft. I can't imagine doing anything else, so I’d say pick something you’re very passionate about and something you can see yourself being interested in for a very long time.
How do you see REPRESENT evolving over the next five years?
Evolution is inevitable when you have a growth mindset. We’re always looking for ways to improve all categories, channels and aspects of the business, from shipping times to product quality and design. I see us becoming a much more global brand by 2030, with focused areas around the world.
Finally, George, what’s the one item you think best represents REPRESENT?
I’m going to say an Owners’ Club hoodie. It’s an iconic piece with a silhouette and a quality of material that withstand the test of time.
Visit uk.RepresentClo.com
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