Interview with fashion marketer, Anastasia Roumelioti

From fmcg to fashion, Anastasia Roumelioti created her own fast-track to drive forward the brand revival of a British fashion brand with Jermyn Street heritage. She works for Touker Suleyman, known to many from his TV role on the 2015 Dragon’s Den investor panel. We asked Anastasia, how she did it, what drew her to this start-up marketing role for a 103-year old brand, about men’s catwalk shows, the partnership with West Ham and the impact of Brexit.

Anastasia Roumelioti
Head of Marketing & Communications
Hawes & Curtis, Ghost Fashion
CIM member, London

Tell us about yourself

I’m a marketer working in the fashion industry for the brands Hawes & Curtis and Ghost, leading their omnichannel marketing strategy and integrated advertising campaigns, brand partnerships, communications and CRM.

Before that, I’ve managed global brands working for P&G and Unilever, and I have an MBA with a double major in marketing and operations management from Wharton School. I originally come from Greece and before coming to the UK, I was living in New York and managing my ecommerce start-up: an online marketplace for pet accessories made by fashion designers.

Why did you pursue a career in marketing?

My main interests since I was a child have been advertising and fashion.  Still today, the stories that ads can tell, in such a short time, fascinate me. I feel lucky that my job is to create stories that resonate with customers and encourage them to choose a brand rather than a product. Equally, I have always liked the fashion industry as an industry - from the inspiration of the collections (which border on art) all the way to operations, sell-through and the fast-paced world of retail.

You know the philosopher, Confucius said: ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’  I could not agree more.

What impressed you to join Hawes & Curtis?

The brand itself has managed to stay alive for more than a hundred years. That happened not just because, investor and fashion entrepreneur Mr Suleyman saved it back in 2002 when he bought it for 1GBP, but also because the customers stayed loyal to the brand. When I joined the company, the decision to reposition the business from a shirt-maker to a lifestyle brand was initiated with the introduction of additional products in the portfolio. That was a successful move that was applauded by our customers who have started buying into new products.

What I love in retail is the opportunity we marketers have to really touch our consumers in many different ways. Advertising is no longer impersonal and delivered solely by a ‘cold’ means like TV, radio or even social media. It gets personal and human with customer service and the shopping experience. Retail is fascinating because it concerns the entire consumer journey.

What does your current role involve?

I’m responsible for global brand marketing strategy, the integrated omnichannel campaigns and delivering growth through customer acquisition, retention and brand awareness. The biggest challenge - and opportunity at the same time - has been the role itself. It’s a start-up role that needed a team to support aggressive growth plans and build internal recognition of the value that marketing can bring to the table. 

How did you get here?

I started my career at Unilever and soon I realised that in order to have a global career and aim to become a Chief Marketing Officer, I would need to enrich my skills with an MBA and a specialisation in marketing. After business school, I worked as a consultant for a few retail companies before founding my own ecommerce pet fashion start-up. I came to the UK and worked for P&G, where my main campaigns were to help reposition fabric care into fashion.

However, I found myself in a comfort zone trap; I had started my career in consumer goods and I came back into it after a journey of fast growth in the US.

When the opportunity with Hawes & Curtis came along, it required a leap of faith from my side, in a role that required me to build a team from scratch. At the same time, I had to elevate the brand, communicate its heritage, work to integrate legacy corporate systems, drive cultural change and report to a boss who wanted to see immediate impact in growth and profitability. 

You choose to join CIM, why is that?

I joined CIM to grow my network and meet fellow marketers, keep up-to-date with the latest marketing tools by attending workshops and conferences and assist my own marketing team by signing them up for training modules. But most importantly, I wanted be part of an accredited organisation for marketers.

What achievements are you especially proud of?

Our Hawes & Curtis SS16 campaign, “Dressing the Best since 1913’’, which was fully developed and executed in-house with a limited budget and delivered fantastic results. It’s been a finalist in a few awards, including the Best Fashion Marketing Campaign from fashion trade publication, Drapers.

An in-house campaign entails coordinating cross-functional teams, taking responsibility for critical decisions with a constantly changing critical path, to inspiring team members to help you and go beyond their job descriptions to deliver results and always look at the results in order to avoid confirmation biases. However overall, I am mostly proud of recruiting a team of talented marketers to support me on this journey.

Fashion is notoriously female-centric, what impact has the advent of shows like the London Collections Men had on British men’s fashion and on the brand?

I think that men’s fashion has always been there and we can see it from the growing applaud that London Collections Men receive year on year. Hawes & Curtis is on a path to have its first fashion show for years at one of the upcoming London Collections Men shows and we are very excited about it!

Why did your company become tailors to West Ham United FC?

As part of our strategic brand partnerships, we have been looking for a sports partner that would resonate with our City audience. Partnering with another heritage brand that shares similar values was key. When the opportunity with WHUFC came along, we worked together to create a strategic marketing plan that would support both sides and meet commercial objectives. This is the first on the list of our sport partnerships.

What did working for fmcg giants Unilever and their arch-rivals P&G teach you?

Apart from the fundamentals of brand marketing, working for such well-oiled companies with different cultures, corporate values and mission statements has taught me a lot. My first job ever was with Unilever, yet it was with P&G that I learnt more about brand marketing and customer insights, the business benefit of customer centric and data-driven decision-making and global marketing innovation.

These two companies may seem very different but they have similarities too. For example, their global presence requires them to balance local decision management, they are extremely protective and nourishing of their brands, their strenuous recruiting process ensures employees who fit with their culture, they attract international talent and diversity is at the top of their agenda. Most notably, P&G prides on having 40% of key roles filled by women leaders. Overall, having worked for these types of companies has taught me what it’s necessary for a company to have in every aspect, in order to be successful.

You speak several languages and have lived outside UK, does this help you as a marketer?

Trading today between countries has changed significantly from what it used to be decades ago. Brands now need to appeal to a global audience with local needs. Having worked in more than one country is ideal for a successful and constantly growing career in marketing. Language is just one barrier for a brand that would like to grow internationally; there are cultural differences and biases that can have a significant affect in any campaign and on any channel. For example, with Hawes & Curtis internationally, we’ve had to pay attention to small changes in our American website - and translate trousers into pants and braces into suspenders!

What does the EU Referendum ‘Leave’ vote mean for the brand?

The result of the referendum has launched us into a period of uncertainty until our politicians decide how to proceed. That in turn has influenced UK-based customers’ attitudes so that they are spending less and buying fewer new clothes.

However, as with every external factor that can have an influence in sales, the fashion industry and especially British brands will have to treat this as an opportunity. When the internal market weakens, the growth opportunity comes from abroad. British heritage brands are few in the global fashionsphere, so the opportunity lurks in the brands’ ability to mesmerize customers with their storytelling.

Lastly, do you have any advice for other marketers?

Like the Earth that always spins, you should never stop learning, evolving, adapting, and you must always use the data.

Also, find a mentor; the simplest way to find a solution is to ask the question.