Lemon Hair
“A brand of bows that creates bonds,” is how Filipa Avillez defines her brand.
Created in 2012, the brand has been growing in a sustained manner, and clearly bet on the diversity and manual creation of accessories, ranging from bows, ribbons to headbands.
“We bet on a lifestyle and a light and happy image, in which we believe that when mothers are brushing their daughters or when we take care of hair, they are moments of bonding, care and affection that create bonds.”
How did Lemon Hair Lovers start?
Lemon Hair started out in 2012. After realizing that there was a failure in the market in the offer of bows and children’s headbands, we decided to recreate these types of accessories. The bow is a product that is typically Portuguese, it is part of our culture and our history. And it is part of the fashion universe in any part of the world. It has always been used and will continue to be used. Be it in the hair, the clothes, on socks. We focused on the quality and diversity of sizes, colors, materials and textures.
Was there an opportunity for the sale of this type of products?
Yes, there was. There was a gap in the children’s fashion market, regarding diversity and quality in this type of articles. We continue to have a diversity hardly available in another store. And we continue to bet on handmade production in Portugal. And that makes Lemon’s products unique. No two bows are alike. Often the bows are not”essential” but since they are complementary, they always end up being part of the “wish list” of mothers. And this was the market opportunity we grabbed.
This online shopping trend was key to driving this business?
E-commerce is one of our biggest sales channels. We are accessible to many people in the interior of the country and outside of Portugal who do not have access to stores where we are physically available. On the other hand, the sale does not always happen online, but the possibility of publicizing the brand and the knowledge of the articles happens online. Many people look at the site or on social networks and go to the shops to buy. So the digital presence of the brand is fundamental and drives the business.
Which products are the most desirable?
The product we sell the most are bows. It is bows because we have about 600 bow designs. However, we also sell many ribbons and headbands and all other accessories that we launch on time. There are children who do not like to wear bows and we have other alternatives available to the consumer.
What is the state of this operational time?
In the 6 years of the brand, we learned many things. It was 6 very happy years and a very positive path. The brand has grown every year, which has been fantastic. Our growth was explosive in the first 3 years and then maintained a sustained pace. The brand has been reaching farther and to more people. We have also adapted and rethought market strategies and above all, we try to understand the mentality of people, which changes with time. Whether in buying collections, customer support, return policies or shipping practices. A brand is constantly changing and improving, and it has been a major challenge to keep on top of this evolution. We continue to want to do more and better, believing that what is national is very good. That is why we already have new plans outlined and we continue to want to do more and better.
