Business in the Time of COVID: Walker Slater
Purveyors of fine Scottish tweed, Walker Slater, gives its two cents on running a business in the midst of a global pandemic
words by Robin CLEMENTSON
The importance of customer support and loyalty has been a shining light through the darkness of the pandemic for many retailers. It’s a common red thread that has highlighted the importance of integration with those that buy into certain labels and their stories.
Contemporary Scottish tweed brand Walker Slater is one such label that has seen a huge wave of support from customers during this lockdown period. This support has come not simply in terms of spending, but also in loyal customers choosing to showcase – on various social platforms – how the Walker Slater products they love to wear have stood the test of time.
“We have noticed recently, with the social media focus, customers often sharing images of garments they wear regularly,” says owner Paul Walker. “A lot of these are items they have owned for a long time. Before lockdown, we would get the odd person contacting us to say they had worn through favourite garments. More recently, the focus has definitely been on wear and care,” he adds.
“We are not an overly expensive brand and do see ourselves as accessible, but to know that there is an appreciation for the high quality that customers genuinely love is very reassuring, especially in the current climate,” he adds.
Under the current restrictions, Walker Slater has seen an uplift in the sale of more casual items and accessories, and of course an uplift in clearance items. They have also seen that customers are keen on both the hard-wearing, long life aspects of garments or accessories as they turn toward a buy less, buy better mentality.
“Customers are also very keen to buy pure wool, and are really keen on the way we use up our off-cuts,” says Walker. “Our bags and purses are all made from suit off-cuts, alongside Liberty print shirt fabric off-cuts for linings, which reduces waste whilst also making gorgeous products.
“This is the same right down to our smallest pieces. Our Percy Tweed Cufflinks, for example, only need a couple of inches of tweed, but we ensure the smallest pieces are used.”
Walker Slater opened their new menswear shop in Great Queen Street just prior to the pandemic, with it’s smaller offering on the same street becoming exclusively ladieswear. “Great Queen Street has been revitalised and has a good retail offering and we are looking forward to getting back to a busy environment, which it has certainly become,” adds Walker.
“Ultimately, this has been a good time to get everything in order and to spend time on the things that – under normal circumstances – we wouldn’t get a chance to do. I guess that’s one of the small positives to come out of lockdown that we can all appreciate.”
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photography by Kewin Connin Jackson
