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Instagram 'it' brand SilkFred's SS20 collection remains true to its core - especially during crisis

Ariana Orange Floral Halter Frill Dress, €65 at Silk Fred

Olivera Midi Dress In Black & White Alligator, €65 by Dancing Leopard at Silk Fred

Fliss One Shoulder Maxi Dress In Black, €75 at Silk Fred

Olivera Midi Dress In Multi Floral, €65 at Silk Fred

Rica Skater Dress In Black And White Polkadot, €55 at Silk Fred

Fleur Halter Neck Maxi Dress In Blush Spot, €75 at Silk Fred

Kimono Knot Top Culotte Jumpsuit In Khaki Green, €55 by Silk Fred

Ariana Orange Floral Halter Frill Dress, €65 at Silk Fred

Olivera Midi Dress In Black & White Alligator, €65 by Dancing Leopard at Silk Fred

Fliss One Shoulder Maxi Dress In Black, €75 at Silk Fred

Olivera Midi Dress In Multi Floral, €65 at Silk Fred

Rica Skater Dress In Black And White Polkadot, €55 at Silk Fred

Fleur Halter Neck Maxi Dress In Blush Spot, €75 at Silk Fred

Kimono Knot Top Culotte Jumpsuit In Khaki Green, €55 by Silk Fred

Ariana Orange Floral Halter Frill Dress, €65 at Silk Fred

Caitlin McBride Twitter Email

April 08 2020 10:42 AM

If retailers recent operating environment was hostile, the current climate is inhospitable.

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the globe, people's spending habits are changing - as unemployment is expecting to reach 21% this summer - shopping for nights out tends to fall to the bottom of priority lists.

But for some, it's as close to business as usual as possible. And for SilkFred, the online-only retailer which launched after social media demand, overhead costs are relatively low to match their affordable prices.

Their Spring/Summer '20 collection reflects the Instagram 'it' girl aesthetic that makes up its customer base and its new season collection is shot in the #OOTD style that is a hallmark of its success.

Rica Skater Dress In Black And White Polkadot, €55 at Silk Fred

Since its launch in 2012, 800 independent brands are stocked on site, most of which cater to event-wear. Their new season collection features a mixture of their boutique brands to serve as escapism when social lives are eventually re-introduced in society.

"We used social media as our shop floor and started conversations with people who would then become our customers, working to bring together a community of women who were bored of the high street and wanted a fashion company that didn't take themselves too seriously and spoke to them like their friend would," CEO Emma Watkinson told the Irish Independent.

"We would film things on our phones for customers and we would ask for their views on what we were doing. Now, it's quite common to see big brands do this too but back then fashion companies always maintained a distance between themselves and customers, focusing on stylised seasonal campaigns."

They also work with cutting-edge Irish brands like Aoife Ireland run by sustainable millennial designer Aoife McNamara, whose design career has skyrocketed over the last 12 months.

Olivera Midi Dress In Black & White Alligator, €65 by Dancing Leopard at Silk Fred

"They've struck the perfect balance between unique and interesting but also very wearable clothes. The Irish brands are very entrepreneurial and we're enjoying our partnership with them a lot right now," Ms Watkinson said.

Retailers of all sizes are struggling; but solid e-commerce models are able to adapt at a more rapid pace due to their existing infrastructure to cater to large deliveries on a wider scale.

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At SilkFred, the corporate staff are working from home, while deliveries are operating as normal, albeit with added health and safety measures.

"We're being asked to keep posting as we normally would as a lot of customers want to be distracted," she said. "People have been asking us for recommendations on what to wear to events they are still hoping to attend later in the year.

"We're also being transparent about what steps we're taking to keep our team safe. We're all working from home at the moment and we're looking forward to the day when we can be back at our HQ and visiting brands again. "

Fliss One Shoulder Maxi Dress In Black, €75 at Silk Fred

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