Holland Cooper, the fashion brand from Gloucestershire businesswoman Jade Holland Cooper, is expanding its global presence, launching its official website for the USA this April 2024.
The homegrown company is expected to turn over £40 million in the 2024 financial year, but its founder isn't resting on her laurels, saying: 'It means that I need to work harder. To give more.'
Turning 15 in 2024, the brand is the official fashion partner for the Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse, which celebrates its centenary this year. The event, which kicked off on Tuesday 12 March 2024, sees over 65,000 attendees each day — many of whom will be wearing Holland Cooper.
While its turnover is a milestone for the label, Jade insists she's just getting started: 'I think it's a testament to where we are, but this journey has only just begun, I'm always looking forward.
'I'm not sitting back and thinking, brilliant, that's that. I'm saying, right, how do we get to £100 million.'
Having been spotted on the likes of Kate Middleton, Lily Allen and Pixie Lott, as well as in various fashion magazines such as British Vogue and Tatler, Holland Cooper's womenswear is synonymous with country chic, blending heritage materials with timeless silhouettes.
The most recent addition to its thriving catalogue of clothing, accessories and shoes, is its dedicated menswear line, featuring fleece gilets, wool roll neck jumpers and the lovingly-named Cheltenham Coat — which all sold out swiftly.
Jade's next focus? World domination.
'Global expansion is the next goal. We're launching our US website next month and we'll be turning our attention to how we really scale the brand internationally through e-commerce. So that's where our biggest investment is going to be.
'We're also building a huge 70,000 sq ft office, that's going to be ready at the beginning of next year, and our Cheltenham boutique will also be expanding — we're trebling the size of it.
'That's going to be game-changing because we'll be able to represent menswear in its own store, homeware in its own store and then have a huge flagship head office, which is really exciting.'
Jade is often seen with her husband, Julian Dunkerton, founder of Superdry and owner of Dunkertons Organic Cider and the Lucky Onion Group, which owns No. 131 on Cheltenham's promenade.
With Superdry currently facing financial difficulty and No. 131 being forced to take its popular outdoor marquees down, Jade acknowledges the challenges businessowners face in today's market.
'There are challenges every single day. If you're not pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and feeling nervous at least once a day, you're not moving fast enough.
'Nobody that's grown a business hasn't faced challenges. It's about how you overcome and learn from them.'
Despite the hardships, Jade is passionate about encouraging entrepreneurship: 'Go for it. Anything is possible if you want it badly enough.
'You need to ask yourself, are you prepared to make the sacrifices, because you do have to work incredibly hard and not everybody wants to do that. But that is the only way to succeed.
'Ultimately, you have to be obsessed and madly in love with your business and if you are that person, you will succeed.'
