Case Study: Scaling Katharina Lou
From Sewing Solo to Selling Out
Inroduction
Katharina Lou is a bold, slow-fashion brand founded by Katharina herself in Sydney, Australia. Known for her vibrant, handmade designs and distinctive aesthetic, the brand has grown from a one-woman operation into an expanding business with a dedicated customer base, multiple stockists, and a strong social media presence.
Over two separate periods, I worked with Katharina to refine her strategy, scale her operations, and solidify her brand in the competitive fashion industry.
This case study outlines our work together, from early-stage brand-building to structuring the business for sustainable growth!
Engaging Katharina as a Client
Katharina first reached out after following me for two years, having already taken one of my courses when she launched. She was juggling everything herself—designing, sewing, marketing, and packing orders—while trying to grow her brand. On our discovery call, she told me she wanted accountability, strategic guidance, and someone to push her further so she could scale beyond doing everything solo. She had the vision and the drive, but needed clear marketing strategies, influencer connections, and a bigger audience to take things to the next level. We clicked straight away, and I knew I could help her turn that ambition into a structured, scalable business.
Phase 1: Establishing a Brand Identity & Sales Foundation
Katharina started her label in 2020, fresh out of university, with a dream of building a brand that celebrated ethical production whilst also expressing her personal style. Initially, she sewed every piece herself, running the entire operation from her spare bedroom.
At this stage, our focus was on:
Defining the brand’s DNA – Katharina’s love for bold, OTT fashion and sustainable craftsmanship was refined into a clear mission.
Building demand through TikTok & Instagram – Early success came from sharing her behind-the-scenes process, showing customers the work that went into each piece.
Testing and validating bestselling products – The Ollyrose Dress became a hero piece, establishing a foundation for repeatable success.
Growth Milestones
First big influx of sales from social media.
Introduction of market stalls and pop-ups to test demand offline & meet her community IRL
Transitioning from sewing every order herself to hiring help.
Phase 2: Transitioning from Handmade to Small-Scale Production
With increasing demand, it became clear that hand-making every order was unsustainable. Katharina needed to scale her production without losing the brand’s ethical ethos.
Key Strategies We Implemented:
Outsourcing Production:
Moved from 100% handmade to working with small-batch manufacturers in Melbourne.
Initial production run: 50 units of Ollyrose Dress, which sold out immediately.
Began searching for additional factories in India and Bali to expand production capacity.
Building Operational Systems:
Moved the business to Shopify for a more professional e-commerce experience.
Set up Google Analytics to track conversions.
Introduced range planning and stock forecasting tools (e.g., Fabrikator and Inventory Planner).
Streamlined fulfillment: Trialing external logistics and considering warehouse storage.
Strengthening Marketing & Sales:
Launched wholesale outreach, securing stockists in Melbourne and Sydney.
Increased organic content creation: Daily TikToks & Instagram posts
Ran targeted influencer gifting, leading to significant spikes in sales.
Expanded email marketing (via Klaviyo audit) to improve conversion rates.
Growth Milestones
✔️ First wholesale stockists secured.
✔️ Pop-up events in Sydney & Melbourne with strong community engagement.
✔️ Scaling from handmade to manufacturer-supported production.
✔️ Hitting six figures in a single month – the highest sales month to date.
Phase 3: Structuring the Business for Long-Term Growth
As demand grew, so did the complexity of running the brand. Our next step was shifting Katharina’s role from “doing everything” to CEO.
Key Strategies We Implemented:
Team Expansion:
Hired a first full-time team member (Customer Experience & Packing).
Onboarded a social media & TikTok coordinator to support marketing efforts.
Structured a clear staff chart to define future hires, including:
A production manager to oversee manufacturing.
A design assistant to help scale product development.
Data-Driven Scaling:
Wholesale expansion: Prepared to approach Selfridges, SSENSE, and Revolve as potential future stockists.
In-depth financial planning: Worked on setting clear breakeven sales targets.
Bolder ad spend: Trialed Pinterest, Facebook, and Google Ads, seeing high ROAS for specific product categories (e.g., 21 ROAS on Tankinis).
Refining the Product Strategy:
Prioritised bestsellers (Ollyrose & Annabel dresses) for larger production runs.
Introduced seasonal planning: Launching 2 pieces every 3 weeks.
Plan to test new categories: Swimwear, scrunchies, and bags (made from offcuts).
Event & Community Growth:
Hosted a launch party featuring artists, DJs, and local brand collaborations.
Set up more in-person pop-ups to strengthen customer loyalty.
Growth Milestones
✔️ Moved from 100% founder-run to a structured team.
✔️ Established multiple revenue streams: Direct sales, wholesale, & pop-ups.
✔️ Secured a studio space to support production & fulfillment.
✔️ Planned international expansion (London pop-up in 2026).
2025 & Beyond: Scaling to $1M+ in Revenue
With a solid foundation in place, Katharina Lou is now focused on reaching 7 figures in annual sales. The next priorities include:
✅ Expanding the team with a full-time social media manager and production lead.
✅ Enhancing email marketing & ad strategy to drive consistent monthly revenue.
✅ Moving into a permanent Sydney studio for operations & content creation.
Katharina’s ability to blend personal storytelling, strong design vision, and a bold business strategy has positioned her as one of Australia’s most exciting independent designers. With continued focus and strategic scaling, she’s well on her way to building an iconic fashion brand!
10 Highlights From the Sales Data :
1️⃣ Year-on-Year Revenue Growth – Sales have increased significantly, with the most recent year showing a triple-digit percentage growth compared to the previous year.
2️⃣ Highest Monthly Revenue – The brand hit its biggest-ever sales month in 2024, surpassing previous records by a substantial margin.
3️⃣ Average Order Value (AOV) Growth – AOV has steadily increased, showing that customers are spending more per transaction over time.
4️⃣ Best-Selling Product Success – One core dress style has consistently outperformed all others, accounting for a large percentage of total sales across multiple launches.
5️⃣ Spike in Orders Post-Marketing Pushes – There are clear peaks in sales after pop-ups, influencer campaigns, and major product launches, reinforcing the impact of these strategies.
6️⃣ Wholesale Expansion – The introduction of wholesale orders has significantly contributed to overall revenue growth, with key accounts placing repeat orders.
7️⃣ International Demand Surge – Sales outside Australia have grown year on year, now representing a significant portion of total revenue, particularly from the UK and US.
8️⃣ High Sell-Through Rates – New collections have frequently sold out within days, with certain product launches reaching 100% sell-through within a week.
9️⃣ Conversion Rate Improvements – Website performance metrics indicate that the conversion rate has increased, showing that marketing efforts are driving more effective customer purchases.
🔟 Strong Returning Customer Rate – A large percentage of customers have returned for multiple purchases, demonstrating strong brand loyalty and repeat buying behaviour.
Conclusion
Katharina Lou’s journey is a perfect example of how a strong creative vision, when paired with the right strategy, can lead to incredible growth. When we first started working together, Katharina was running everything herself—design, production, marketing, and fulfilment—while trying to scale. She had the talent and the demand, but needed structure, strategy, and commercial direction to turn her brand into a thriving business.
Through our work together, I helped Katharina:
✅ Gain the confidence to make bold business decisions—whether it was investing in production, increasing ad spend, or pushing forward with new product categories
✅ Refine her product range to focus on high-performing bestsellers
✅ Build a team and delegate so she could step into a true leadership role
✅ Expand into wholesale, pop-ups, and global production to increase revenue
✅ Implement data-driven marketing and sales strategies that led to record-breaking months
With these foundations in place, Katharina Lou has transformed from a one-woman operation into a fast-scaling, in-demand fashion brand. This success didn’t happen by chance—it came from strategic decisions, clear planning, and a commitment to scaling in the right way.
Are You Ready to Scale from 6 to 7+ Figures?
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