Meet the founder of Niccolò P.

Based in London, Niccolò P. is an ultra-lean direct-to-consumer menswear label which launched in 2018. Offering superior customer service and a product at least 30 per cent. better priced than comparable heritage brands, every product the brand makes is responsibly sourced in Europe.

Can you tell us about your career prior to launching Niccolò P.?

Prior to launching Niccolò P., I worked for 15 years in Lead Advisory helping SME clients across a variety of sectors raise funds for their growth plans. Most of my clients were companies which were listed on the London Stock Exchange or aspired to do so. While I enjoyed getting ‘under the hood’ of businesses and preparing them for investment, I had always harboured an ambition to start my own business. 

What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?

I was particularly influenced by a former client who owned two well-known lifestyle brands - listening to him speak about the power of brands was very persuasive and from that moment, I was on the lookout for a niche in the clothing industry. In 2016, I identified polo shirts as an area which was – I suppose - quite unloved, and which would benefit from an entirely fresh approach. As I was starting with a blank piece of paper, I resolved to create a great value product which was transparently sourced and made entirely in Europe in a responsible way.

The goal is to create a brand with longevity driven by a guarantee of always making a product which offers great value to the customer. This might not seem a particularly lofty ambition, however, we regularly see heritage retail businesses seriously compromise quality when facing headwinds - this ultimately drains the equity built up in the brand and delivers poor value to the customer. As an online-only business, we have no head office or retail estate to fund – as such, and with a small headcount, we can always afford to put the product first. Sales grew by 450 per cent. in 2020 so our approach is striking a chord. 

How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?

I see the future of the clothing industry as partly comprising a significant number of ultra-lean overhead business focussed on a single product category. We see Niccolò P. as being in the vanguard of this trend. Separately, we now see many retailers attempting to incorporate sustainability into their operating models, but this is much more difficult to do as a mature business than as a start-up. 

With all the success stories around entrepreneurship and how innovative people must be to take the leap. How do you think you have innovated your sector and why?

Sometimes incremental improvements to existing products or services are sufficient to create a substantial business. Many people seeking to start their own business spend too much time looking for something revolutionary while it is almost certainly more practical to focus on an area you understand well and can offer an improved product or service. 

Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?

Like many people with kids, I get up as early as possible to get a head start on the day. This usually means I am at my desk at 5.30 a.m. seven days a week giving me around two hours to get things done in a quiet time. Daily exercise is my other ritual – essential to maintain balance when working the excessive hours that often come in the early stages of a business’s development. 

What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?

Fashion and social media marketing are somewhat inextricably linked. However, our target demographic is slightly older than the one which typically uses social media to discover new brands. As such, we don’t over commit to any one social media channel since these can often be low return for the resources invested. We have had good success using Instagram primarily through regular posting on our own channel rather than, for example, using ‘influencers’.

What would you say to people considering launching a clothing label?

Firstly, it is best to start the business as a side project rather than attempting to launch with no other income to support yourself. The feedback loop can be quite long in fashion as it takes months and years to build brand awareness. You can be almost guaranteed of meagre results at the beginning and the success of your venture will likely boil down to your ability to keep going for at least two years. This is often impossible to achieve unless you have other income. Running the business as a side project will obviously mean evening and weekend work – this, in itself, is a useful test as if you are not enamoured with the idea of working unusual or excessive hours, then launching a business might not be for you!

Secondly, I would recommend speaking to the founders of a few micro-brands to learn the lessons of their journey. If you cannot speak directly with such people, then I would spend as much time as possible on websites such as Just Entrepreneurs to learn the lessons which could save you time and energy in your business. 

What do you think gives a brand longevity?

In the fashion industry it is easier than ever to launch a brand with ‘plug and play’ online store solutions meaning you can be up and running in a matter of weeks. In such a saturated market, it is essential to have your own voice to stand out from the noise. In the case of Niccolò P., we are bringing through more interesting colour options which are typically ignored by mainstream brands as not being ‘commercial’ enough.

What lessons have you learned which would carry across to other sectors?

I would say the main thing is to be nimble and ready, if warranted, to pivot the business to, for example, a different marketing pitch or different target customer group. In short, there is not likely to be great value in being a slave to your original business plan. As I mentioned before, in the clothing business, the feedback loop can be long meaning it takes time before you can understand what you are doing right and what you might be doing wrong. Testing takes time. This is not likely true of all sectors and thus the need to be ready to change the angle of attack.