After 20 years at the helm of 60-year-old British footwear brand Kurt Geiger, Neil Clifford is more than halfway to leading the company to a record sales year.  Kurt Geiger has already made big, impactful changes. For example, five years ago, Clifford hired Michael Kors alum Steven Sousa to lead Kurt Geiger's North American expansion; the market now drives bigger sales for the brand than the U.K. The company has also expanded to other international markets, with its Dubai-based store quickly becoming its most successful, in terms of its sales per square foot. Kurt Geiger has 70 stores in the U.K. In addition to stores, the company has upped its investment in marketing, doubling its dedicated budget in each of the past two years. The focus of the strategy is creating compelling imagery. "It's very British [to be] much better at creativity and fun and joy than making money and [developing] business strategies," Clifford said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. "But look at how many brands around the world have British creative directors. That's not a coincidence." Moving forward, thanks in part to a new round of funding, more stores are on the way. Kurt Geiger will open a new London flagship in mid-September. The brand then plans to launch 20-30 stores in North America over five years, starting in October. After three locations in Mexico, it will set up shop in Florida, Southern California and New York early next year.  And in November, it will expand focus to its men's business with plans for a big, product-focused campaign.  "We focus on design. We spend hours every day talking about product and … great value," Clifford said. "And we hope that formula transpires into something super desirable and super differentiating and disrupting — because we as Brits like to disrupt; anarchy is in our blood."

Starting with a website and a tiny budget, friends Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey launched women's fashion brand Rixo in 2015 while studying fashion in London. Eight years later, the brand is growing, with a 70% revenue increase in 2022, plus it's launching new categories and expanding within the U.S. market. Rixo is best known for its vintage-inspired printed dresses and counts Taylor Swift and the Duchess of Cambridge as fans. Rixo sells through its own stores, wholesale channels including independent stores and department stores, and its own e-commerce site. During the 2022 fiscal year, it earned $21 million in revenue, compared to $12 million the year prior. In April, the brand launched a flagship store on London's King’s Road, enlisting McCloskey’s twin sister, Culpa Studio's Gemma McCloskey, to design it The 5,000-square-foot space includes a standalone bridal suite that's available for private appointments, as well as alterations services, a coffee kiosk, cocktails and a private events “apartment” space on the second floor.  In January, Rixo introduced product categories including homeware, nightwear and bridal. Rixo is the only brand on the London Fashion Week schedule producing clothes in U.K. sizes through 24. It will launch its first styles available up to size 26 with influencer Abisola Omole in July.  On the Glossy Podcast, co-founder Henrietta Rix discusses the brand’s plans for the U.S., its new category strategy, the need for more inclusive sizing in the contemporary fashion market, the brand effects of Brexit and Rixo's mission to redefine accessible bridal shopping experiences.