Hillier Bartley On Being A Brand of Tomorrow

Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley know more than a thing or two about being successful in the fashion industry, as their eponymous label, Hillier Bartley, proves. It's something that Walpole has picked up on, too, resulting in the design duo's label making its debut on the collective's Brands Of Tomorrow 2017 list. We caught up with them to see how they feel about winning and what they're up to next.

Congrats on the win, do accolades like this help or change anything?

Walpole plays a very important role in supporting British luxury and craftsmanship, so it is an honour to be recognised. Also, the potential to work with Walpole and benefiting from expert coaching will be hugely beneficial.

You're being celebrated as a brand of the future, what does the future hold for the fashion industry do you think?

From the start of Hillier Bartley, we decided that our decisions would come from instinct versus industry formulas and we will continue on this pathway. We want to find a way of having a more direct and personal relationship with our customer.

What does the immediate and long-term future hold for your brand?

We're working hard to seek new opportunities and ways of stepping outside of the traditional environment through collaborations and conversations and ways of connecting with our customer.

What are the most important things you brought with you into your joint brand from previously running your own fashion houses and working for other major brands?

Our experience, mutuality and desire to create a sensibility that reflects what we've learnt as women. We've worked together for over 20 years and have built a relationship of trust, honesty and near telepathy!

What has it been like to start a new label together when you are already established names?

It's enabled us to take a more patient approach and we're clear about the scale of our ambitions. We feel strongly that the quality of message and of the product comes before excessive growth and hype.

Have brand sales met your expectations and how have you had to adapt?

We have purposefully tried to keep our distribution at a level our infrastructure can support. We have established very collaborative relationships with stores like Matches Fashion, and we are excited to also be growing into an environment like Net-A-Porter for spring/summer 2017.

What has been your proudest achievement so far with the brand?

Our team and working together with them to create something that we believe in and seeing that connect with women, stores and magazines that we love and respect.

Joining Hillier Bartley on the list are Agi & Sam, Capstar, Helen Amy Murray, Tessa Packard, Alexandra Llewellyn, Duke & Dexter, The New Craftsmen, Camilla Elphick, Exmoor Caviar, Rory Dobner and Troubadour Goods. To be eligible, companies had to have had an annual turnover of a minimum of £100,000, be a UK registered company that is no older than 10 years, and demonstrate the highest standards of quality, design and craftsmanship.