Hey Babes!
Firstly, THANK YOU for visiting our store, buying our products and supporting us xxx
Have you ever wondered what is involved in starting up not only a clothing business, but creating a unique brand? Well, it has been a long and winding road, but a journey that has been totally worth all of the effort.
WHY BECI EQUI WAS CREATED
Beci Equi is a one woman show, being the creation of myself, former West Australian professional classical dressage trainer, Rebecca 'Bec' Desmond.
In 2017, I seriously injured my back in a non horse related accident, and began working on a plan for an idea that I had been thinking about for some time...and Beci Equi Couture was born!
I wanted to create truly epic equestrian clothing, that was the same quality as top European brands, but primarily designed for Australian conditions, and had an emphasis on street and activewear style, rather than traditional riding fashions.
HOW WE CAME UP WITH OUR DESIGNS
Ever bought clothes online and been disappointed? This was the story of my life! As a bit of an online shopping addict, I bought riding clothes from brands all over the world, and in one way or another, was constantly disappointed in my purchases.
From waistbands that dug in or slipped down, to silicone grips that literally left friction burns, and completely see through material, I simply could not find the perfect pair of riding pants.
There were aspects in some clothes that were promising - so I got to work drawing and drawing and drawing... there are literally thousands of bits of paper all over my house and car with girls bums and lower bodies in various pant designs! Taking a little idea from here, and changing it a bit, taking another concept from there and playing with it...finally, I came up with a number of unique creations.
I very much wanted to create a flattering pant, that also supported the average woman's physique, which often needed support in the core area, whilst providing a flattering outline for the thigh and bum area.
So, I took all of the things I really disliked about riding pants, and literally designed my pants without these things. No seam lines crossing over the legs, no see through material, no uncomfortable waistbands that cut into your tummy, no thick silicone that not only can leave friction burns but also literally pull your pants down when you are riding.
From this concept, our Luxe Leggings and Denim SkinTights were born.
PRODUCT TESTING
It is one thing to take tried and tested design features out of a piece of clothing and come up with something totally new...it is another thing to then test them out in real life.
I tested several designs for over 18 months. Certain materials just didn't work. Some silicone designs were still too sticky or looked terrible. Some waistbands were still too restrictive. Some seam designs were still not flattering enough.
So, I went back and forth, changing and tweaking my designs until I literally got it perfect. The perfect blend between activewear, streetwear and riding clothes.
THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS
This is by far the most challenging aspect of starting a clothing business. As you probably know, clothing is by and large manufactured in Asia, and communication across cultures can be very challenging.
The biggest challenge I faced was quality control as well as manufacturing timelines. Unfortunately, I came to realise that repeated delays are a natural part of the manufacturing process. Experience is priceless, and now, having been through the process for several products, I better know what to expect throughout the entire manufacturing process.
THE END PRODUCT
The response to Beci Equi products has been overwhelming! Girls all over Australia and New Zealand are absolutely loving the products.Both of our key products are a bit different to anything that is available, so some customers have found their products not quite what they expected, but most have been extremely happy with all of our design features.
Iv'e has been determined to get as much feedback directly from my customers as possible. This way, comments and suggestions can be collated and future products can be made with these suggestions incorporated.
Our existing products will also be tweaked in future orders as a result of collating customer feedback. Our Denim SkinTights will have some of their measurements adjusted, as well as adding a touch more length.
Our Luxe Leggings will come in a larger range of sizing, as due to me making the sizing for the average woman with a few curvy bits, some of our smaller customers have felt the XS is a little too roomy for them.
All of these things are a normal part of starting out in the clothing industry, and I feel that as long as I continue to listen to customers suggestions, and implement them in future products, the brand and the business will continue to grow and flourish.
THE BECI EQUI REVOLUTION
Social media is the fastest growing retail selling platform in the world. Facebook and Instagram continue to evolve into powerful tools to help create brand awareness, and really give power to the customer to make or break a brand or product.
Beci Equi Couture is one of a growing number of 100% social media based businesses. We totally rely on our customer's reviews, posts, comments and pictures to grow and sell our brand.
Thankfully, we have created a fantastic relationship with our customers, and that has been a result of my absolute dedication to ensuring that customer service is a priority in the business.
When you create a product that women feel comfortable, stylish and confident in, they feel more compelled to share their photos, experiences and thoughts about that product on social media. In turn, this creates more consumer confidence in our products, which increase in popularity.
Girls simply do not need to feel awkward going to the shops after being at the stables in their riding gear anymore. Beci Equi clothing allows women to look and feel confident and stylish wherever they are (yes, we have had messages from girls saying they are wearing their Denim SkinTights out on a date and out to dinner!). This is the #beciequirevolution .
THE FUTURE
So many exciting things are happening at Beci Equi... we have new products in production, and new photoshoots planned in the coming months, so stay tuned for some amazing pics of real life girls of all shapes and sizes in our stuff.
We currently have a fantastic prize pack worth over $300 to be won once we reach 5000 followers and Likes on Facebook and Instagram. Simply like and follow us on both platforms to enter!
Follow our Facebook and Instagram accounts to keep in the loop about all of the goings on at B.E.C... and don't forget the power you have to help us grow and bring you more amazing stylish clothes by sharing our posts and sharing your selfies in our amazing clothes xxxxxx
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Love to you all,
Bec
xoxo