George Davies, the fashion innovator, design guru and man behind Next, George at Asda, Per Una and FG4 in the Middle East discusses his latest venture, GWD, a new fashion brand for women and children. Ahead of GWD Kids’ launch at INDX Kids in July, Laura Turner speaks to Davies for further insight.

 

Laura Turner: Can you tell me about your career background?

George Davies: I’ve been in this industry for five decades, yet never assume I know it all. The fashion world’s ever-changing nature keeps me on my toes. You can never guarantee that what you sell this year will mirror the same success the next year. Whether you’re a fashion student new to the industry, or a big business name, we’re all on the same, continuous learning journey with the contemporary consumer. This is what keeps the collections and the business exciting.

A notable career moment for me was launching both womenswear and kidswear with Next on the high street in 1982, followed by the Next Directory in 1987. Here I brought fashion collections into the homes of customers featuring catalogues, editorials and swatches. After departing Next, I noticed a gap in the market for out-of-town shopping. I was approached by the UK supermarket chain Asda to create a new clothing range, which seemed like the perfect opportunity to put my theory about selling fashion outside of the high street to the test. This was the birth of George at Asda, which continues to be a major player in the UK retail scene. Shortly after, retailer Marks and Spencer approached me to utilise my expertise in identifying opportunities for its business, and so came the launch of Per Una. The ability to see gaps in the market has always been one of my greatest strengths and has allowed me to launch several successful brands over my retail career.

LT: What inspired you to launch GWD?

GD: Prior to the creation of GWD in the UK, my focus has been on running GWD successfully in the Middle East for the past two years. This has provided me with the knowledge and expertise surrounding the Middle Eastern customer and how to best fulfil their desires and needs. Finding a balance between modest and conservative designs whilst still enabling creativity and uniqueness to flourish is at the heart of GWD. I

n 2021, the GWD brand originated in Kuwait, landing in two of its Debenhams department stores. However, it didn’t take long for the brand to explode throughout a staggering amount of Middle Eastern Debenhams stores. Due to the tremendous success of GWD in Debenhams, the range has recently launched successfully in over 40 Mothercare stores in the Middle East, with a plan to extend to 100 stores in the autumn. A plethora of positive feedback only assured my existing feeling that I was giving the customer something they felt had been missing from their wardrobe. Quality, stylish garments with intricate detailing, at affordable prices. The demand to bring the brand to the UK with its own look and feel has been overwhelming for some time now.

 

 

LT: You initially launched with womenswear − what motivated the introduction of childrenswear?

GD: Having had a previously successful childrenswear brand in Saudi Arabia, I had full confidence that I could replicate this success throughout the remainder of the Middle East. GWD Kids launched in Debenhams in 2022 and has already rocketed in sales within this short span of time. The brand is spectacularly unique and consistently proves to be a firm favourite amongst Middle Eastern customers. What made the launch of GWD Kids so special was how seamlessly it married with the already existing GWD womenswear lines. Despite this, it still felt strong enough to stand out on its own, and many customers shop for GWD Kids exclusively. My team and I have been designing collections for boys and girls aged 0 to 16 for over a decade, and therefore have become experts in what the customer desires. We are excited to develop this further now we are in the UK and expand our learnings as we explore a wider demographic.

LT: What does the GWD Kids collection comprise?

GD: I take pride in the fact that my collections appeal to a wide customer base. When it comes to girlswear, GWD Kids offers a mixture of dresses, tops, skirts, trousers and jeans. We like to make outfit building easy for our customers. Often if you find a skirt you love, there will be a top or two to coordinate, and we reflect these outfits in our photographic imagery. Boys don’t fall short when it comes to creating effortless looks either, with our boyswear range consisting of T-shirts and shirts, shorts, trousers and jeans. No matter the season, GWD Kids will have the answer to your fashion needs. Our childrenswear ranges are from 2 to 14 years, offering a solution for children in both the early years of their lives and as their own personal style begins to develop. We also offer a small and cohesive toddler collection for both girls and boys, consisting of all-in-ones, dungarees and of course, mini-mes of our older ranges.

 

 

LT: What would you highlight as some of GWD Kids’ signature looks?

GD: What we do, we do to perfection. If I had to pinpoint an area where we particularly flourish, I would say girls’ occasionwear is a strong contender. Originating in the Middle East, Ramadan was a season that we got to know very well and soon became industry stand-outs in providing looks for the
occasion. Embellished dresses with sequins enable girls to feel like the princess they want to be whilst keeping a touch of elegance and style. Perfect for parties, christenings and weddings, we know how to pull off any occasion. With boyswear it is very much about strong graphics, using various print techniques, embossing, badges, subtle detailing and quality fabrics.

LT: Is there a particular gap in the UK market you feel GWD Kids will fill?

GD: Once you see the collections, you will immediately recognise that we are a brand like no other. We have a distinctive look that I feel no other brand brings to the UK. Our clothing is of remarkable quality and always soft to the touch. We offer the best of both worlds, providing high-end quality at affordable prices. Our garments are unique in shape, detail and design. We have a great team of graphic and print designers creating individual pieces and you will not find anything similar on the high street.

 

 

LT: What are the short and long-term plans for GWD Kids?

GD: Short term, I would love to see a successful UK launch for my team. Collectively, we have been working incredibly hard on producing the most beautiful collections for our new market and are extremely passionate about what we have to offer. The launch of GWD Kids will be combined with the launch of GWD womenswear on our very own ecommerce site later this year. Alongside this, we are very keen to explore the potential of wholesaling our collections to boutiques around the UK. I feel this mixture of online and in-store retailing will enable us to maximise the opportunity to ensure everyone has the option to shop our ranges. In the long-term, I’d say the sky is the limit. As I said, GWD brings something that the UK is yet to have experienced and with this, I believe will come endless opportunities. All I can say is, watch this space.

Buyers can view the GWD Kids collection at INDX Kids on 2-3 July. Please click here to register as a visitor. Alternatively, for further information on GWD, please contact sales@gwd.co.uk.