This year has seen many ups and unfortunate downs during the pandemic, but members of the industry are still doing their best to stay strong. One such person is EF Collection's Emily Faith Strauss, who sat down with JCK for an interview about her movements during the pandemic.
Strauss was asked what her loyal customers have been particularly attached to at the moment, to which she said, "Right now, personalization and mix-and-match earrings are two heavy hitter categories for us. With so many of our clients having kids—and their mothers now having grandchildren—everyone wanted something unique and custom to honor their growing families. More piercings have also allowed for more holes to fill, so our baby studs and mini huggies are pieces we can’t keep in stock."
"EF Collection is a lifestyle brand," said Strauss when asked why she expanded into a clothing line. "It’s not just a diamond necklace, but how you wear it. I try to inspire how women can wear their EF pieces. I was so excited when the opportunity presented itself to collaborate with my friend Brittany [Correy], the talented woman behind the brand the Lady & the Sailor. We created a line of bouclé sweatshirts, sweatshorts, and sweatpants inspired by our best-selling enamel color palette. This collection was transitional—cute for lounging, but also stylish and great for running errands as we start to leave the house. The first launch was very successful, selling out almost immediately!"
When asked how she kept her business going and what changes were made during the pandemic, Strauss said, "The key to keeping the business going was social media and our website. With most of our retailers closed for business (including our West Hollywood showroom), being able to ship our pieces directly to our customers’ doorsteps was essential. We continued to rely heavily on Instagram to showcase our newest collections and engage with our clients. I think the biggest change and pivot was that most of the EF team worked remotely. Figuring out how to work productively in this way took some time, but we were able to find our groove."
"During the pandemic, we held private piercing sessions for friends of the brand, which were very successful," said Strauss when asked about the customer response upon reopening showrooms and events. "In the last two months, we’ve held one-day private piercing sessions back-to-back every 20 minutes. We’ve been able to pierce 25 to 30 clients in a day, and [every time slot has] sold out within an hour of releasing the date. I think people are excited to get out of the house and have a fun activity to look forward to!"
Information originally sourced from JCK.
