After a 13-year banking career, Audra Gordon took a hiatus which she says “led her to her purpose”. She has since founded Beam Bold, a Hong Kong-based vibrant fashion label inspired by her Caribbean heritage. Six years since its inception, the brand has gained increasing exposure across the region.
Inside Retail spoke with Gordon to learn more about her journey and the story behind the brand.
Inside Retail: Can you tell us about your career journey? What inspired you to start Beam Bold?
Audra Gordon: I’ve had a long career in banking, working for banks like JP Morgan Chase and HSBC. However, many people don’t realise that my career began in retail fashion. When I was a teenager, I started working for retail brands in New York, such as Kenneth Cole, Express, Aeropostale, and Burlington Coat Factory but I was discouraged from pursuing a career in fashion because the industry was not deemed lucrative.
I was raised in the Caribbean by my grandmother who was a seamstress. She was hired to sew for the entire community and also taught women how to sew. This is where my interest in fashion began. After my MBA, I took a six-month solo trip across Africa and visited 15 countries. I met a girl in Ghana who was wearing a beautiful yellow dress. I complimented her and she shared that she owned nothing black. During our conversation about our shared love for vibrant clothing, I thought someone should create a brand for people who love colour.
Upon my return, I visited Sham Shui Po, a garment district in Hong Kong to explore fabric options. I was interested in fabric with a soft hand feel. I envisioned a brand centred around colours, with bold pieces that could make you feel like you’re on a tropical holiday, even while you’re exploring your city.
IR: Can you share with us more about your products?
AG: I believe that tackling the textile waste problem begins at the design stage. All of my pieces are designed with extra seam allowance to allow adjustments. Our sizes fluctuate, and I believe if we design pieces to last, that fit well, are adjustable, and made-to-measure, people will love and wear them repeatedly. I want my customers to have clothing that lasts and makes them feel good.
A unique feature of our brand is the adjustable elastic on the back of the waistband. This feature, common in children’s clothing, is useful for adults whose sizes tend to vary. The elastic can be adjusted and secured, allowing each skirt to expand up to the next size.
Our eco-conscious brand uses digital printing for less waste and fixed brand colours to eliminate dead stock. All the fabrics we use are made from natural fibres. All styles are readily available in a size range spanning XXXS to 3XL, petite, short, regular, tall, and custom length. While we’re committed to reducing our environmental footprint, we’re seeking alternatives for our dyeing process to further lessen our impact.
Our mission is to create clothing that evokes joy while diverting textile waste from landfills. We’re also exploring new technologies for eco-friendly colouring. At Beam Bold, we aim to educate consumers on investing in high-quality, long-lasting pieces that can easily be integrated into their existing wardrobe.
IR: What are the challenges you are facing at the moment? How are you overcoming them?
AG: Our main challenge is having enough capital to hire staff to scale. The brand has been self-funded but I have had inquiries from several potential investors and I have begun exploring strategic investments. I have been balancing multiple roles, from design to marketing, but I’ve recently hired an assistant to handle order fulfilment and operations. We’re now interviewing full-time staff and interns for areas such as social media. Production costs remain high due to salaries and non-mass production methods. To expand, we’re considering launching a Kickstarter campaign.
Success is not a solo journey so I’ve learned to seek support. Despite handling multiple roles, I’ve received support from mentors, including former clients. I have formed an advisory board composed of individuals with various skills that complement mine, such as advertising. Acknowledging our limitations and seeking advice from experts in those areas is crucial.
IR: What are Beam Bold’s current markets? What’s the brand’s vision?
AG: Currently, Asia is our primary market. I’ve organised pop-ups in Hong Kong and most recently, three events in Singapore. My clientele is primarily equally divided between the US, Hong Kong, and Singapore markets. As a US citizen with an established business there, I’m exploring opportunities to expand in cities such as Miami, New York, and Los Angeles.
The aim is to persist with direct-to-consumer operations as all production is currently managed in-house. There’s a significant talent pool in China due to the migration of many factories to Vietnam, Cambodia, and other countries in Southeast Asia. My vision is to employ competent staff at livable wages, construct a larger sample room and eventually a factory dedicated to customisation.
We also want to combine offline and online experiences. We plan to set up showrooms for clients to experience our products firsthand, with the option to pre-order unavailable items online. We focus on the customer’s personal style and prioritise customisation over mass production, planning to expand the team as demand rises.
On the product side, the current focus is on women’s and children’s wear for a matching ‘mommy and me’ style. However, I am open to evolving, with increasing demand from men who also love vibrant colours. As we grow and potentially take on investors, the product range will expand. The future may see us moving beyond resort wear to vibrant fashion for all sizes and genders. Our tagline is ‘vibrant resort wear for colour lovers of all sizes’, but this may change as we introduce new lines. The initial vision was resort style, but expansion is on the horizon.
IR: As someone from a different culture starting a fashion brand in Asia, how are you targeting your customers?
AG: Beam Bold isn’t just targeting people in my culture. The brand is inspired by the Caribbean, where people wear brighter colours. It’s a universal brand centred around the joyful feeling we want to evoke. Whatever colours or prints make you come alive, you now have many options to choose from. It’s all about personal choice. The brand values are freedom, comfort, and individuality.
IR: What are some key leadership lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?
AG: I have learned to focus on my areas of genius and delegate tasks in areas of incompetence. My objective is to inspire others to discover their passion and do what you love. The pathway I recommend is the L.O.V.E method – an acronym I’ve created. ‘L’ stands for Leverage your network. If you have an idea, reach out to people in the industry or those who’ve walked your path before. They can help you connect the dots. ‘O’ is for Overcome the fear. Many people are too afraid to get started, often because others project their fears onto them. It’s crucial to overcome that fear. ‘V’ is for Validating the idea. Start small and iterate, adding more features as you go along. Do you have a viable product people want to buy? That’s validation. And ‘E’ stands for Expand through collaboration or partnership. Strategic partnerships can help you scale up. The goal is to grow together in doing what you love, with love.
The post From the Caribbean to Hong Kong: The story behind sustainable label Beam Bold appeared first on Inside Retail Australia.
