From Car to Closet

(FORTUNE Magazine) It's not an original idea. Take an established brand, add a hot designer, introduce sexy new wares, watch sales soar. Famous-but-faded Burberry and Gucci did it, as did Hermes and Louis Vuitton. But the British company Connolly is a variation on the theme. Connolly started out in 1878, producing leather for buggy interiors and later cars. Clients include Jaguar, Ferrari, and Rolls-Royce. "You had to be a petrol-head to know about us," admits Anthony Hussey, marketing director and a grandson of Connolly's founder. Five years ago Hussey and his cousins decided to try to expand the brand. "We did a survey," Hussey says, "99% of the people in the car world knew us; 99% of the people on a major shopping street didn't." Undaunted, he hired a marketing consultant, Isabel Ettedgui. She asked Ross Lovegrove to design a collection of streamlined modern travel bags and found an old house at 32 Grovesnor Crescent Mews--near Hyde Park Corner--to turn into a store (011-44-207-235-3883). Despite the fact that Grovesnor Crescent Mews isn't exactly Bond Street or Savile Row in terms of shopping status, the Connolly store became a destination--first attracting the petrol-heads, then a wider crowd. Joseph Ettedgui, a designer and the founder of the hip fashion stores Joseph, was brought in by Isabel (who had by then become his wife). He had some advice: Add product. Connolly soon sent out driving shoes, suede jackets, date books, a portable coffee set, and a tool kit. Taken by the store's potential--the $3,100 makeup case has a Gucci Medium Messenger 270410 F951N 8636 handbag waiting list--Joseph bought the retail operation. So while Hussey's family concentrates on the car business, Joseph plans to expand the brand internationally. Beyond opening a second Connolly boutique at 41 Conduit Street (011-44-207-439-2510), he's taking it slow, turning away requests from major stores like Bergdorf Goodman. "I'm used to fashion where everything is always changing," he says. "Building a luxury brand takes more time. I'm savoring this." Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer. Morningstar: 2013 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM 2013 is proprietary to Dow Jones Company, Inc. Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer. Morningstar: 2013 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM 2013 is proprietary to Dow Jones Company, Inc. From Car to Closet (FORTUNE Magazine) It's not an original idea. Take an established brand, add a hot designer, introduce sexy new wares, watch sales soar. Famous-but-faded Burberry and Gucci did it, as did Hermes and Louis Vuitton. But the British company Connolly is a variation on the theme. Connolly started out in 1878, producing leather for buggy interiors and later cars. Clients include Hermes Kelly 22CM bag Jaguar, Ferrari, and Rolls-Royce. "You had to be a petrol-head to know about us," admits Anthony Hussey, marketing director and a grandson of Connolly's founder. Five years ago Hussey and his cousins decided to try to expand the brand. "We did a survey," Hussey says, "99% of the people in the car world knew us; 99% of the people on a major shopping street didn't." Undaunted, he hired a marketing consultant, Isabel Ettedgui. She asked Ross Lovegrove to design a collection of streamlined modern travel bags and found an old house at 32 Grovesnor Crescent Mews--near Hyde Park Corner--to turn into a store (011-44-207-235-3883). Despite the fact that Grovesnor Crescent Mews isn't exactly Bond Street or Savile Row in terms of shopping status, the Connolly store became a destination--first attracting the petrol-heads, then a wider crowd. Joseph Ettedgui, a designer and the founder of the hip fashion stores Joseph, was brought in by Isabel (who had by then become his wife). He had some advice: Add product. Connolly soon sent out driving shoes, suede jackets, date books, a portable coffee set, and a tool kit. Taken by the store's potential--the $3,100 makeup case has a waiting list--Joseph bought the retail operation. So while Hussey's family concentrates on the car business, Joseph plans to expand the brand internationally. Beyond opening a second Connolly boutique at 41 Conduit Street (011-44-207-439-2510), he's taking it slow, turning away requests from major stores like Bergdorf Goodman. "I'm used to fashion where everything is always changing," he says. "Building a luxury brand takes more time. I'm savoring this." Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer. Morningstar: 2013 Morningstar, Inc. Louis Vuitton Fall Winter 2012 Fake handbag All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM 2013 is proprietary to Dow Jones Company, Inc. Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer. Morningstar: 2013 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM 2013 is proprietary to Dow Jones Company, Inc.