Hush has posted rising sales and profits after a year in which the digital-first clothing and lifestyle brand expanded further in-store.
By the end of its financial year, the retailer had 22 concessions in branches of John Lewis & Partners, up from 11 in the previous year. This may have helped fuel a 29% rise in active customers. Nonetheless, the brand still generated 87% of its total sales online during the year.
Sales for the year to March 31 2018 reached £29.8m, a rise of 74% compared to the previous year. Gross profit of £14.1m was 69% ahead, while operating profit came in 162% ahead at £5.4m. In the first half of its current year, the retailer posted a 52% rise in revenue, as it continued to gain more customers.
Commercial director Kate Bartman said: “We believe that our digital-led business model gives us a strong foundation for growth in the future. We are continuing to invest heavily in developing and enhancing our collections and strengthening the long-term appeal of the brand. We’re pleased to say our momentum has continued into the current year against a difficult retail background, which is testament to the energy, hard work and dedication of our team.”
Over the year, that team grew by 20 to 67 people and since then the retailer has also appointed new design, marketing, buying and financial directors.
The year saw Hush invest online, with a social-first approach, and a focus on providing content across food, books, travel and styling. It also operated pop-ups in retail stores as it looked to give its customers new ways to interact with the brand. Curated experiences in the pop-up stores included style-fitting workshops, yoga classes, film screenings and cooking events. These gave staff the opportunity to meet customers in order to help them tailor the brand experience and make it more relevant for their shoppers.
Image courtesy of Hush
