Butrym's Breakthrough

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Magdalena Butrym is a Polish fashion designer who founded her fashion brand Magda Butrym in 2014 in Warsaw, Poland. Whilst Butrym was at high school she aspired to be a doctor, this came to an end when she realised that she was far more interested in designing the doctor’s scrubs rather than finding a cure. Butrym started off her fashion career in celebrity styling she also worked as an in-house designer for a regional fashion brand. This experience was a great opportunity for Butrym to learn how a design house works as well as learning a lot about fashion as a whole. Working there sparked off ideas and confirmed that she wanted to create her own brand one day.

After a few years working there she began to picture as to what kind of style fashion she would like to create herself. “My parents were always into fashion. They care about what they wear, and instilled in me that what you wear is important — how you look is important” (Magda Butrym, 2017). She pursued her vision left her current job and began to start her own brand. From the start she knew that she wanted to combine both modern fashion design with traditional craftsmanship. So, in 2014 Butrym founded her label a luxury ready-to-wear brand based in Warsaw, as this was far from the top fashion capitals it was initially a hurdle for her to get noticed. She did not give up and pursued her dream label which within a few years had achieved wide international success. All down to her determination to succeed.

When Butrym was asked about the success of her brand she answered, “It’s quite unexpected for a brand from Warsaw to be visible, I never, never thought that it would go this way.” (Magda Butrym, 2016)

The label has recently turned its home into a competitive advantage, by offering low overhead costs as well as access to quality production. "Poland offers favorable conditions with respect to production for small to medium-size fashion brands as there are many small-sized production companies which work for foreign labels." (Jakub Czarnota, 2017) An ethical brand is something that stands out to customers especially where the clothes are designed and manufactured in the same country by people who live there and have a genuine interest in the brand and the production of it.

Combining modern fashion design with specialised craftsmanship she creates pieces with a “soul” designed for the modern woman who expresses her character and individuality through fashion. Butrym’s profile of her customer becomes more and more defined in her head as the seasons go on. She imagines her to be a girl who has things to do. That when it comes to fashion she does not overthink what she wears and what people will think. She likes to be unique, playing with fashion yet her style is more so effortless. "I think it's important to understand that fashion is not just about making pretty clothes but rather about establishing a distinct style." (Magda Butrym, 2017).

Magda Butrym became the top selling new brand in 2016 on the online shop Net-a-Porter with a sell thorough rate said to be 90% (Christopher Morency, 2017). “The growth is pretty fast, we’re doubling the volume from season to season, if not by more.” (Jakub Czarnota, 2017)

The brand started to become noticed when Butrym began to post her look books on Instagram in 2015 a year after the brand was founded. Which before she knew would be the reason as to why the brand is becoming more and more popular. “I made our first look book with models posed against vintage carpets, and there was so much interest from the shops already.” (Magda Butrym, 2016). Soon becoming well-known for its bohemian, rock and roll aesthetic, high quality and artisanal production the brand become more popular. “Montaigne Market, a shop in Paris, stocked the collection because they saw our photos on Instagram. Instagram is such a powerful tool for young brands with no money for advertising. You can really connect with people.” (Magda Butrym, 2016).

Butrym’s clothes have been worn by famous role models such as Kim Kardashian and Nicole Warne who quickly boosted the awareness of the new brand. “Instagram was very helpful. It gives everyone an equal opportunity for a wide audience.” (Jakub Czarnota. 2017). The brands Instagram’s page includes recent photoshoots as well as celebrities and well-known models wearing the brand, which continues to increase the awareness of the niche brand. “Though in the beginning we had no network. There were no fashion buyers or local retailers we could work with and the press here is very low quality, so it was difficult to get attention from the international retailers and press.” (Jakub Czarnota. 2017). The label would have most certainly made its success on its own terms however Instagram has definitely sped up the whole process. People see what celebrities are wearing and want to follow suit.

Magda Butrym is constantly searching for new craftsmanship types and techniques to incorporate into her collections. She likes to work closely with craftsmen to help develop their techniques as well as making them into something modern to give them a new ‘Spin’. Butrym is very much inspired by different archive photos from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s as a source of inspiration to incorporate the old and the new. Once she has collected lots of inspiration and ideas she then begins to incorporate it into her own personal style and to see if it is something she would wear herself. If that is the case then she knows it will be a success.

In a recent interview (2017) Butrym said "I draw a lot of inspiration in life from music and that doesn't apply just to creating fashion. When I design my work, it is very research driven and I tend to be influenced by past subcultures, for instance Blitz Kids and romantic punk. When I do my research, I dig very deeply into music, photography and literature which helps me understand not just the style of the group which inspires me but also what shaped it and defined its identity."

Magda Butrym’s collections are inspired by both feminine and masculine spirit as she believes any type of clothing can be worn by anyone, clothes should not be catagorised by sexuality. That a woman can pull off an oversized jumper or suit jacket just as much as a male could too. “I like to imagine that girls are really wearing it on the street, and I love how they mix it with their own wardrobes — how they put this dress on that I never thought would work with trainers. It helps me to push my imagination further.” (Magda Butrym, 2017). She incorporates youth, oversized silhouettes however with a contempory and romantic result. Irregular cuts and precious, high quality textiles are at the base of the brand and Butrym’s philosophy all made in Poland. The brand uses very high-end fabrics to ensure the best quality, many of which come from the best Italian manufacturers. “When I’m designing, I’m always thinking, ‘How it would look with jeans? With trainers?'” (Magda Butrym, 2017).

The collections incorporate lots of different techniques and fabrics from feminine prints to heavy leathers, romantic ruffles to masculine tailoring. Some collections have featured hand woven textiles and hand plaited leathers as well as hand knitted fabrics and embroidered garments. All of which take an extremely long time to create which reflects in the prices of the handmade garments.

Magda Butrym’s craftsmen all come from regions within Poland which include Podhale, Silesia, Nowy Targ and Warsaw. Each craftsmen specialises in their own area which they are passionate about which is reflected in their work. Each garment is crafted so carefully with unique details and refinements. “Butrym’s signature aesthetic is feminine with an effortless edge – think grungy floral midis, 90s chokers and loose satin blouses with cool cutaway detailing.” (Harvey Nichols, 2017).

The brand first started off as Ready-to-Wear collections which has expanded recently now including a variety of jewellery and accessories, in the Autumn / Winter ’17 Collection Magda Butrym has introduced her first ever shoe collection which will most certainly be a success. She hopes to add more shoes and handbags to the up and coming collections / seasons as well as launching an advertising campaign to create an even bigger brand awareness.

“Last year, the company generated €1.5 million (about $1.5 million) in sales via a network of 85 stockists. By the end of 2017, the business expects to reach €5 million in turnover with a range that includes of embroidered tops ($1,200), hand-woven skirts ($1,340) and asymmetric silk-crepe dresses ($1,740).” (Christopher Morency, 2017) For a fashion label which has only been around for 3 years the quick success it is gaining is incredible. With a huge help from social media and celebrities the brand is going to continue to grow and improve in many ways globally. An aspect of Magda Butrym that has most certainly helped towards the success of the brand is that the collections are hand crafted and made from the best quality Italian materials. Therefore, the customers appreciate the work, time, effort and quality that has gone into making the garments.

For their Autumn / Winter collection Magda Butrym will be carried by over 110 stockists, which include well-known stockists; Selfridges, MyTheresa and Bergdorf Goodman. Which is a huge number considering the brand is only 3 years old. Even though 110 stockists will be selling Magda Butrym Autumn / Winter 17 collection the brand have been very selective as to who they distribute their collections to as they do not want to over-distribute. . “We always target our top choice partners in given areas and if they don’t respond immediately we tend to wait and work on them rather than compromise.” (Czarnota, 2017).

One thing I believe that could make the brand become even more successful is the way it is represented on their website. It could be improved with the use of more colour to brighten up the website appearance. It didn’t catch my eye straight away however it would have if more colour was introduced. It wasn’t until I actually started to look at some of the clothes and their Instagram that I saw it was a new and exciting brand. I believe the website does not give off that impression the Instagram reflects the brand a lot clearer. I think part of the reason I get that impression is because the photographs of the clothing are photographed on the same model and basic backgrounds. I think that if the use of colour and variety of background was to change it would catch the eyes of more young and unique customers that Magda Butrym is aiming towards.

The brand is hungry to grow and become bigger as time goes on. As a young brand they continue to grab the attention of their existing customers as well as new so that they are not forgotten quickly. The brand continues to know what the customer is looking for and when they want it. By knowing this the brand is constantly growing understanding the needs of the customer as well as keeping to their own unique styles. The brand is really good at keeping their audience up to date with who is wearing their clothes and when by posting photos on their Instagram page. It is a very fun and exciting page to look at which I believe is certainly one of the brands strengths.

When Butrym first brought her collection to Paris the brand was only acknowledged by a handful of buyers and retailers which was just the start. However, a year and a half later for Autumn / Winter 2016 Butrym accommodated more than 50 appointments and the collections were stocked in 40 different retailers worldwide. A year on from that Magda Butrym has near enough tripled that which shows huge success in such a short amount of time for such a young brand. “These emerging brands are offering a new point of view that doesn't exist in the world. They have a clean slate.” (Lisa Aiken, 2017).

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