Jade Holland Cooper
Jade’s family upbringing instilled in her a deep connection to the countryside, affection for horses and appreciation and pride for rural life, its people and its rich heritage – as well, of course, as a love for fashion.
This DNA – combined with being a passionate, patriotic advocate of British craftsmanship and manufacturing – continues to play a key role in shaping her brand and fashion design. This year, the founder-led business celebrates its 15-year anniversary, a milestone of phenomenal growth. Jade is a prominent figure in the country fashion and horse-racing scene, being a proud Fashion Partner of Cheltenham Races.
- Tell us a little bit about your business…
Being the child of a farmer and a fashion designer, I believe I have an eye for combining traditional British elegance with contemporary fashion design. I don’t follow trends, instead I create garments that last forever. I have a knack of knowing what my customer wants. I am passionate about British tailoring and use my social media presence to communicate with my followers to promote the Holland Cooper lifestyle alongside new and exciting product launches.
- How did you get into the industry?
Holland Cooper’s story began in 2008 when I noticed a gap in the market for stylish and flattering country clothes. I set about creating a brand that would celebrate British heritage and craftsmanship, combining my love for the countryside with my passion for classic tailoring. I wanted to create forever classics. I started trading from a tiny stand at Badminton Horse Trials, selling tweed miniskirts – we sold out! I appreciated the demand and abandoned my studies at the Royal Agricultural College in order to start a business; Holland Cooper was born.
- What are the biggest opportunities and challenges in your industry?
There are so many challenges within the retail landscape currently. Those with bricks and mortar stores are battling with .com giants with many having inflexible leases and high rents, which means that it’s nearly impossible to get ahead of those who are smashing sales online.
From a personal company perspective, we have to rise to the challenge of maintaining competitive advantage, differentiating our brand and delivering an excellent customer experience. Creating the best-in-class product, being an enjoyable place to work and retaining, nurturing and developing our talent is key to our future success. Ultimately, the way our teams communicate and perform is what elevates us above everybody else.
Opportunities abound for growth domestically and internationally, due to the strong foundations we have built. However, we have to be cautious and ensure we move forward in a way that does not compromise our quality and customer service reputation. Gearing up the supply chain for this is complex and requires patience to ensure we deliver as a luxury brand, protect our margins and profitability, while retaining a premium product and our outstanding service.
- How would you describe your leadership style?
Customer centric, hardworking and clear-sighted.
The customer is at the heart of my leadership style. I lead from the front, with a hands on approach. I am driven by delivering the absolute best brand experience, across every touchpoint, from the moment you land on our website or walk into our boutique. I am uncompromising and a perfectionist when it comes to the above.
Clarity is so important in leadership. I am crystal clear about the brand’s values and goals, almost messianic. Our values are our brand!
I hope my values and passion are contagious; fashion retail, while glamorous, is hard work. I’m a tenacious workhorse, which is not surprising given my farming background. Our clear strategic brand goals and values make decision-making and autonomy easier throughout the business, because my team fully understand that they are all ambassadors for our brand values, always asking themselves whether our actions, decisions and behaviours are delivering on our brand promise to our customers.
I believe good leadership is about collaboration and not being afraid to delegate or apologise. You have to have humility. I lead by example. I will never ask someone to do something I am not prepared to do myself or indeed have not done before. I believe I am fair and compassionate, letting my team know I care, praising them when we achieve, and also giving constructive feedback when I think we can do better or perhaps something didn’t work as well as we had hoped.
- How do you get the most out of the people who work for you?
I believe I am approachable and always open to suggestion. Communication is key. I am not afraid to take the advice of others. I quickly address conflict and constructively encourage open communication and facilitate discussions to understand different perspectives and find a resolution that we can all agree on. I give department leaders the autonomy to manage and develop, empowering them to grow with the brand. My team care about the success of the company as much as I do.
- What are the most crucial elements to your business running smoothly and being successful?
I am very clear on goals, expectations and boundaries. This sounds elementary; however, I can see that it’s so easy to get it wrong, without clarity. My team and business associates are closely connected with me at all times. They understand my vision, ethos and goals and we work together to achieve this. We remain agile and take advantage of opportunities as they come, enjoying punching above our weight and seeing the fruits of our labour.
- How has the past 12 months been for you?
The business has seen phenomenal growth, 40% year on year, multiple brand extensions, the addition of a men’s collection, flagship boutique opening and sales far exceeding budget expectations. I am immensely proud of our growth.
- What will the next 12 months look like for your business?
The future is so positive, plenty of the above. As I consider international expansion, I’m building a state-of-the-art Head Office, a place where I can hold all my teams, from design to a full photographic studio, all office functions in one place. It’s located at Dunkerton Park alongside my flagship boutique on the outskirts of Cheltenham in the heart of the Cotswolds, a beautiful location close to my home. As well has Holland Cooper, I have an interest in various other businesses that I own with my husband, retail giant and entrepreneur Julian Dunkerton, a boutique hotel in the heart of Cheltenham, www.no131.com, and more recently we have been upscaling Dunkertons Park, the home of our family organic cider business, www.dunkertonscider.co.uk.
Renowned within the Cotswolds, it has become the go-to destination to not only shop Holland Cooper collections but for delicious street food vendors, a farm shop, organic boulangerie and butcher plus world-class live events and activities.
- What are the highlights of your career so far?
There have been so many, from opening our first boutique, launching new products, seeing my brand advertising in leading fashion titles to witnessing multiple celebrities wearing the Holland Cooper brand. One stand-out moment has to be the first time HRH The Princess of Wales Kate Middleton wore one of our trench coats – it was such a special moment, even better that she is a genuine fan: she continues to wear key garments which are regularly documented in the media. she is the epitome of classic style, just the perfect endorsement and ambassador and for all brand HC stands for.
- What are the biggest mistakes you have learnt from?
Trying to do too much too quickly. I have to remind myself to slow down, don’t take on too much personally or for the business.
- What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve been given?
I have been given lots of advice from many people throughout my career; some I have simply chosen to ignore, others I have listened to and absorbed. I suppose critically one of the most important pieces of advice which remains true to this day is when my father told me very early on that there are plenty of great fashion businesses, but also plenty that are not profitable or financially viable. It’s my role as Founder and Managing Director to not only lead creatively but to also lead diligently and responsibly. I have a duty to understand and drive the numbers and financial performance. I am across all areas of the business and that really does include the numbers!
