- Marjorie van Elven
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Crafted Society, the sustainable fashion label founded by husband and
wife Martin Johnston and Lise Bonnet, has received more than 1 million
euros (0.8 million pounds) from an undisclosed group of private investors
from various sectors, according to a press release sent by the company to
FashionUnited. The investors now own a 25 percent stake in the company.
The investment will be used to expand the label’s online and offline
presence. The former will be done with the help of Dutch ICT firm Mabs 4.0,
while the latter will consist of a network of franchises around Europe.
First launched as an online business, Crafted Society opened its first
bricks and mortar location in Amsterdam, where Bonnet is from, in December
2018. There, shoppers can see the products, try them on and then order them
online. The success of this “fitting room”, as the brand names it, has
inspired the duo to open more of them in other cities. The countries where
Crafted Society intends to go were not disclosed, but Johnston’s
motherland, the UK, will for sure be the first stop. The company is already
looking for a retail point in Great Britain. In an interview with
FashionUnited in February 2019, Johnston and Bonnet have also expressed
interest in opening a showroom in the United States.
Celebrating the funds received, Johnston wrote in the statement: “Lise
and I started this brand with a dream, a good dose of experience and a lot
of passion, and it is really rewarding to now share this vision we have for
a democratised luxury industry with our new family members. We are
delighted to welcome such a diversified and globally connected group of
business angels who are all first and foremost, customers and ambassadors
of Crafted Society, and their combined expertise will complement what is
already in-house to help us scale our business at home and abroad. This
investment is a true acknowledgment that we are creating both a unique
brand as well as a business model that ensures fair remuneration for
everyone involved.”
Craftsman Ernesto Toressi, who works with Crafted
Society
Photos: courtesy of Crafted Society
