Case study · Fashion & Beauty
In May 2021 Carvela, part of the Kurt Geiger Group, opened its first store outside London in Leeds’ Victoria Quarter, alongside a new, larger Kurt Geiger store. The launch had to land before Carvela’s national roll-out could be signed off. We partnered with fashion influencers and Leeds’ own female entrepreneurs, and reached 1.25 million people.
- 120+ pieces of coverage
- 20+ press and influencer store visits
- 1.25M people reached
- 15 regional pieces
- Client Kurt Geiger Group (Carvela and Kurt Geiger)
- Sector Fashion and footwear retail
- Services Store launch, PR, influencer marketing, social
- When May 2021
- Audience Fashion shoppers in Leeds and Yorkshire
- Channels Influencers, regional press, social media
What did Carvela need?
Carvela was opening its first boutique outside London in Leeds’ Victoria Quarter, while Kurt Geiger moved to a bigger store in the same arcade. The group wanted an agency that knew the city.
The UK was coming out of lockdown, so a traditional in-store launch party was off the table.
- Business objective: make the Leeds opening a success, to support sign-off of Carvela’s national roll-out.
- Communication objective: launch both stores to a Leeds audience through press, influencers and social, safely and within Covid restrictions.
What was the insight?
Influencer launches can look the same. Leeds has a strong community of female founders whose followers trust their taste, and who rarely get asked.
The idea was an influencer campaign with a difference: fashion influencers alongside Leeds-based female entrepreneurs.
What did we do?
- One-to-one visits. Instead of a launch party, we hosted personal, Covid-safe store visits for press and influencers.
- Leeds entrepreneurs. We partnered with local female founders as well as fashion influencers, reaching new audiences.
- Regional press. We secured regional coverage for both openings.
- Content for both brands. Visits produced social content for Carvela and Kurt Geiger.
What did it achieve?
Results by stage of the AMEC evaluation framework, with the source for each figure.
| Stage | Measure | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outputs | Pieces of media coverage | 120+ | Prohibition coverage log |
| Outputs | Pieces of regional coverage | 15 | Prohibition coverage log |
| Outputs | Press and influencer visits to store | 20+ | Prohibition campaign reporting |
| Outputs | People reached through press and influencer activity | 1.25M | Prohibition campaign reporting |
| Impact | Carvela national roll-out | Went ahead after the Leeds launch | Kurt Geiger Group |
What did Carvela get from it?
A city-wide launch for two stores, in a year when launch parties were not possible. The Leeds opening did its job, and Carvela’s UK roll-out followed.
What did we learn?
- Local voices travel. Leeds entrepreneurs reached audiences fashion influencers do not.
- Small can be better. One-to-one visits produced more personal content than a crowded event.
- What we would do differently. track store footfall and sales in the opening weeks, so the launch can be tied to trading.
