Following a rebrand, premium organic and ethical childrenswear label Lilly + Sid is investing in character-led marketing and animation to help communicate important sustainability messages to children, whilst also providing the basis of innovative new brand assets and POS for its stockists. Laura Turner speaks to Emma Hassan, Lilly + Sid’s creative director and co-founder, to learn more.

 

Laura Turner: How has Lilly + Sid evolved over the years?

Emma Hassan: Lilly + Sid was launched in 2009 by myself and my husband Imran to create the kind of clothing we couldn’t find for our own children. Having worked as head of design and buying for major UK retailers, we utilised our industry knowledge and new parental insights to produce fun, quality clothing at accessible price points. Our launch collection was ordered by our hit list of quality stockists including Harvey Nichols, Brown Thomas and Selfridges; that was our first key milestone. Since then the brand has grown with our customers, who are at the heart of what we do and why we are so proud of our Loved by Parents awards as voted for by the public – our customers. We have grown from what was a small baby collection to now offering multiple product categories for up to eight years of age, stocked in over 4,000 stores worldwide.

LT: What sparked the relaunch of Lilly + Sid?

EH: Lockdown 2020 brought a refocus to our brand. At the beginning of 2019, we sold a majority stake holding to PDSMultinational in order to provide a solid manufacturing base and financial backing that would take the business to the next level. This strategic move enabled us to expand our team with specialists in each key area − logistics, marketing, manufacturing, finance and digital – therefore allowing us to really focus on the bigger picture. We were able to deep dive into the fast-changing consumer landscape and key areas of opportunity for our brand. Essentially, two things are at the heart of Lilly + Sid: character and sustainability. Our relaunch brings these back into focus for both parents and children.

 

 

LT: Can you tell me more about the characters and the role they play?

EH: Lilly and Sid are our original characters – a big sister and little brother. Each season, they and their character friends feature in our clothing collections and an accompanying animation inspired by the wonders of nature and how to preserve it. The characters really resonate with children, with both our clothing and animated series of cartoons bringing them to life. There is no planet B, so discovering the magic of Earth and how we can protect it is integral to our brand. Learning about sustainability through animal characters is a fun and more interactive way for the new generation.

 

LT: You’ve introduced various new brand assets for stockists, what do they include?

EH: The animations are available to our stockists. We have developed various lengths and cuts of cartoon imagery to be used across different social media platforms and websites. Some of our stockists use in-store TV and video to play them too. We have also created character-branded POS for a more boutique feel and a ‘shop-in-shop’ segmentation for the brand. We’re now in talks with TV channels and hope to see Lilly, Sid and their friends broadcast soon.

 

 

LT: What are your plans for wholesale, both in the UK and internationally?

EH: We hope to continue to grow with our loyal stockists in the UK. We are mindful of the fact that the current UK retail climate is challenging. We hope that our unique repositioning of character and sustainability will bring a new reason for their customers to buy. Off-shore, we are excited to launch the brand in South Africa and Australia and we have quickly become one of, if not the largest offering, of children’s organic clothing there. Other key growth areas have been identified as the USA, Germany and the Middle East.

LT: What developments have you made to the collection?

EH: The biggest change we have is in our age range split. One price point across all sizes. It’s simpler for both the stockist and the shopper. We are also keen to develop the collection in nightwear and outerwear.

 

 

LT: What does the a/w 23 collection have to offer?

EH: It takes inspiration from the lessons we can learn from nature. All garments are designed for play in GOTS certified organic cotton fabrics with positive motifs to encourage a planet-friendly approach to live by. New embellishments are used to highlight key collection features. Animal characters come to life as sleeves, pockets, knees and hoods. New characters Millie Mouse and Billie Badger appear as appliqués and prints for girls and boys. Sid has both a bike and a scooter to choose from for eco-friendly travels. And Lilly gets a ride from the new character Hattie Hobby Horse. Elsewhere, wildflowers inspire embroideries and prints on cord and cotton jerseys, and children can learn to count with our numbers print and hopscotch appliqué or name the colours in our 3D appliqué rainbows. New fabrics include recycled fleece and check jacquard and an eco-friendly marl to echo sportswear trends. Sustainability is also considered in the longevity of garments. Designs can be mixed and matched to create multiple outfit choices and adjustable straps, roll legs and sleeves all grow with the child. Reversible garments, meanwhile, give two looks in one, so less washing.

 

 

LT: What other sustainability measures is Lilly + Sid taking?

EH: As well as using organic cotton or sustainable fabrics for our collections – our rainwear is made from single-use plastic bottles − we are also embracing circular fashion through resale and hire. To support the passing down of garments we also don’t adhere to fashion trends. Instead we focus on quality, easy-care children’s clothing that offers maximised wear.

LT: What are the short and long-term plans for Lilly + Sid?

EH: Our short and long-term plans are the same – to continue to love what we do. The day we don’t enjoy our brand is the day we step away. We will also continue challenging the fast fashion business model and looking for more sustainable ways of doing things.

For further information on Lilly + Sid, please click here.