Various garments from the Hegemony catalogue.
Hegemony, the luxury clothing brand created by designer Laetitia Holsman, wants to make the leap abroad. It has just closed a first round of financing of almost 400,000 euros between family and friends, but it is already preparing to raise another two million euros, capital that would give the Spanish boutique the necessary boost to export its products to Asia and the Middle East. The seal that makes them different? That her garments have precious stones inserted.
His portfolio is a hodgepodge of t-shirts, sweatshirts and caps with 18-carat gold, sterling silver, rubies or zircon, among other precious stones that are embedded in his daring and urban designs. "In the world of fashion everything is invented, actually," says Holsman in the interview she has done for Invertia. "With Hegemony it's like you're buying a jewel."
Laetitia Holsman.
The prices of her garments account for this. The current range can range between 1,500 and 2,500 euros per garment, an amount that evokes more the jewelery sector than fashion shop windows.
And it is that all the precious stones that carry their designs incorporate a three-year guarantee certificate and, in case of loss or breakage, the stone is replaced. This certificate also includes data such as who has designed the garment or who has inserted the stones. "This way we generate a lot of bonding with the client," says the founder.
With a Mediterranean air, his first designs have been seen in the most exclusive clubs in Barcelona, Ibiza, Marbella or Saint-Tropez (France). With this first round among relatives and with the economies and establishments closed due to the pandemic, they have taken the opportunity to test new products, materials, and to boost their online sales channels.
The current capitalization of the company is now around one million euros. Its next step in the economic field, financing two million more in this case openly among all kinds of investors, will be aimed at its international expansion: "We are going to consolidate our presence in Europe and open ourselves up to customers with high purchasing power that there are in Asia and the Middle East. Many of them already know them having visited Spain for tourism.
Meanwhile, their collections are beginning to be seen in other physical distribution points, such as luxury hotels or boutique hotels, as well as in selected jewelers. But online sales remain Hegemony's great battlefield. In this regard, they want the next round -scheduled in about 12 months- to also serve to exploit digital marketing, through agreements with renowned influencers or instagramers who wear their clothes for their videos and photos.
Technical sheet of a Hegemony t-shirt.
Asked about the average age of her clientele, she admits that internally they handle a cut-off age of 25 years for girls and 40 years for men. However, Holsman points out, the target is becoming more and more blurred because “fashion has crossed the ages”. In fact, "there are people of 50 who dress like someone of 25".
In 2019, the year before Covid-19, the company invoiced more than 90,000 euros and the gross margin rose above 35%. All products have a limited series, "perhaps there are only 150 units of a shirt", and customers can also make use of their Platinum Line, where they personalize 100% all the elements of the garment (fabric, design, stones...) in search of exclusivity.
The firm produces in Portugal, in the same factories from which internationally recognized brands such as Kenzo or Balenciaga also come out. "We take advantage of this ecosystem because the factories are left with a lot of know-how."
Technical sheet of a Hegemony t-shirt.
Holsman has 18 years of experience in the development and production of contemporary lifestyle fashion. She has been a figurine for musicals like Cats, Phantom of the Opera or Hair; in 2000 she created her first women's urban clothing brand, Subborn, at a European level, and has worked for multinationals such as G-Star.
Over the years, she has become aware of the importance of sustainability in the production process. For this reason, at Hegemony, organic and recycled cotton prevails -some are brought from the highest mountains in Peru- and biodegradable chemicals. "We are a 100% sustainable brand," she says. And she is also supportive. The packaging is made of wood with the support of an association of girls and boys with Down syndrome.
