Pandemics have been a part of human history since the dawn of time it just so happens that we’re living through one right now. Hopefully, we’ll learn from it but that’s doubtful given our history, however, one thing’s for sure Covid-19 has changed the way we live for the foreseeable future.
Fashion has taken a big hit, especially the high-street brands, it just goes to show how precariously balanced the fashion industry is and it’s not something anyone can go blindly into and expect success. The Coronavirus has brought to the forefront fashions weaknesses, such as bricks and mortar stores that once were a romantic ideal but no longer look like a good investment, not that when we come out of this there won’t be a place for them but for a small start-up brand they’re not the way to go anymore.
For Hidden Beneath Covid may have been a blessing in disguise - I think? - The brand has been around for nearly 4 years now, long enough to get noticed, and being featured in Elle magazine didn’t hurt! (thanks again Elle) The point is in the first 6 months of this year I received the same amount of total orders that I did in 2019 which made me a happy little entrepreneur. What I have noticed that’s probably due to lockdown is that there has been a surprising uptick in the amount of cotton underwear being ordered. Items from the fishnet collection have always been in the top 5 best sellers but I’ve been seeing some of the more basic designs that are on offer climbing their way up. Is this because women have preferred comfort during lockdown whilst working from home? Have they not been wearing underwired bras for a while and then putting them back on and deciding that they no longer are willing to put up with any discomfort? There’s probably a myriad of factors involved but it seems to be benefitting the business.
Hidden Beneath was designed and inspired by the athleisure trend. What do people wear under their oversized t-shirts? I was hoping to give them a new option. Comfortable underwear that is a little athletic but also ethically made and maybe that’s another helpful point for HBU, there has been more talk on plastic and the use of more natural materials for everything and if natural materials should be appearing anywhere, it’s in the clothing you use to cover your most intimate places. Over lockdown sweatpants and loungewear have come into their own again, this suits Hidden Beneath’s aesthetic.
I’m hoping that this is the start of some serious growth for the brand. I realise that I haven’t released a new collection all year, that is because I have been busy with life and also your orders (I can’t thank you enough) but as a one-woman band I am now coming to the point where I need to make a decision about where the brand is going and how to expand. I have so much in the pipeline that I think it may explode and when I do find the time it’s all I do so please watch this space!