The founding story of Love, Bonito has been widely publicised. It started off as a blogshop in 2005, and has since grown into a multi-million dollar fashion powerhouse.
In a previous interview with Vulcan Post, co-founder Rachel Lim shared that their focus was to build a brand that “creates accessible fashion for the regular Asian women.”
That vision has since evolved.
Beyond beyond a fashion brand that caters to Asian women, Love, Bonito aims to “journey with women through different stages of her life.”
“From (attending) university to her first job. From her wedding to pregnancy, and adventures with her child or children,” elaborated the 33-year-old.
This is why Love, Bonito has expanded beyond women apparel and launched a kids collection in February last year — a move which she describes as a “natural progression”.
It’s also an interesting coincidence that at the same time Love, Bonito delves into a family-oriented collection, Rachel herself is expecting and is a soon-to-be mother.
To celebrate this journey, Love, Bonito relaunched its maternity line in mid-September, which it first started two years ago.
Called Embrace, the line was designed to fill a maternity wear gap in Singapore with pieces that can take women from pregnancy to nursing.
Opening A New Outlet Amid COVID-19
The retail industry is one of the hardest-hit sectors by the COVID-19 outbreak and has forced many businesses to shift online.
However, Love, Bonito made the bold move of doing the exact opposite.
Despite the pandemic, it has went on to recently open its fourth outlet in Singapore at VivoCity. Unlike its other outlets, this new outlet takes on a family-friendly concept.
Spanning over 4,300 square feet, it is designed to bring in elements of outdoor serenity for an indoor respite amidst the bustle of the human traffic in the mall.
Using materials and elements typically used in outdoor finishings such as granite, terracotta, hints of bamboo and greenery scattered throughout the store, the space allows women and mothers shopping with children to feel relaxed while they get their retail therapy fix.
The store also has family-friendly features such as extra-wide aisles and modular fitting rooms that combine to fit a stroller.
Their kids collection is also very unique. It features room-to-grow features such as adjustable ties to customise fit and elastic waistbands to accommodate growing children, as well as pull-on styles that make dressing kids a breeze.
With the pandemic forcing consumers to get comfortable shopping online, we understand the greater need to provide them with an exceptional experience through our physical stores.
We believe that at the end of the day, nothing will replace human interactions. Customers expect convenience, but they crave connection — meaningful connection, a sense of community.
– Rachel Lim, co-founder of Love, Bonito
She added that this new store opening is simply a means to get closer to their community and customers.
“Our freshly launched loyalty program, LBCommunity+, is also packed with rewards and perks that are relevant and meaningful to our community.”
Love, Bonito has also ramped up online activities and initiatives such as Instagram Live and Virtual Book-A-Stylist so they can “connect deeper” with customers.
Monitoring Evolving Customer Needs
Due to the rise of work-from-home, Love, Bonito has seen an increased demand for more casual outfits so customers can still look stylish while keeping comfortable.
Love, Bonito has also released a new loungewear line to complement new flexible working arrangements.
We believe that women will still be looking for thoughtful and functional clothing, perhaps just for different occasions and purposes, so we will continue to monitor their evolving needs closely and pivot accordingly.
We have always created collections that not only make a woman feel confident, but are also thoughtful, functional and supportive of her life stage and everyday needs.
– Rachel Lim, co-founder of Love, Bonito
After all, Love, Bonito is a brand made for real women, by real women — which makes it easier for them to understand customers’ wants and needs.
“Fashion is a vehicle for us to reach out to women, and we’ve always believed that we are in the women-business, serving fashion,” said Rachel.
“Our purpose has always been to inspire everyday women to discover and embrace the best version of themselves.”
Featured Image Credit: Love, Bonito