Séraphine (company)

Séraphine
Private company
Industry Fashion and apparel
Founded 2002
Founder Cecile Reinaud, head designer[1]
Headquarters United Kingdom
Number of locations
 4
Area served
 International
Products Maternity clothing
Website www.seraphine.com

Séraphine is an international maternity fashion label and store.[2] The company was founded by French-born designer Cecile Reinaud[3] in 2002.[4] Séraphine is based in London and has stores in the United Kingdom and United States. Its clothing is sold around the world through various boutiques and online.[5][6]

The maternity label received worldwide attention when Kate Middleton was photographed in a Séraphine dress for the first official family portrait with Prince George.[7] Séraphine has also been worn by celebrities such as Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie,[8] Kate Winslet,[9] Christina Aguilera,[10] Gwen Stefani[11] and Doutzen Kroes.[12] In 2015, Séraphine received the Queen's Award for Enterprise,[13][14] the United Kingdom's highest official accolade for businesses.[15]

History

Séraphine was founded in 2002 by Cecile Reinaud, co-founder of Shoe Therapy.[16] Originally from Paris, Reinaud studied business in France before moving to the UK to work for advertising agencies including JWT.[17] Reinaud had the idea to start Séraphine after she was approached by multiple friends asking her to tailor their clothes during their pregnancies.[18] Her first design for the label was a pair of maternity jeans with a special lining and flexible fit to accommodate pregnant women.[16]

The first Séraphine store opened on Kensington Church Street in West London in 2002.[19] and it remains the company's flagship store to this date. In 2007, Séraphine opened its second store in Hampstead.[20] The company launched a new, revamped website in December 2010.[21]

Séraphine introduced its Luxe Collection in 2012, a line of maternity fashions for red-carpet events along with bridal gowns and outwear designed for women during and post-pregnancy.[22] Séraphine opened another store in central London on Marylebone High Street in 2013,[8][23] and in 2014, the company opened a store on Northcote Road in Clapham.[24]

In November 2014, the company opened a 1,650 square foot store in New York City. It is their first flagship store in the United States and is located on West Broadway.[23][25][26]

Overview

The Séraphine maternity line includes more than 200 styles of clothing for women during and after pregnancy.[16] The designer collections feature wardrobe basics, denims, office attire, knitwear, outerwear, and evening gowns.[2][16]

The company also operates internationally through online sales and stockists such as Pea in the Pod[27] and more than 80 independent clothing boutiques across the United States and Canada.[28]

In popular culture

Séraphine received international attention in 2013 after the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, was photographed wearing the designer brand.[7] The particular dress Kate Middleton was wearing, the Jolene Knot Front Dress, sold out within two hours.[29][30] Middleton also wore Séraphine during her second pregnancy when she visited New York City in December 2014,[31][32][33] as well as in the United Kingdom in early 2015.[34][35][36]

Other celebrities have been seen wearing Séraphine maternity clothes such as Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Kate Hudson, Claudia Schiffer and Jessica Alba.[19]

Collaboration

Séraphine has collaborated over the years with several philanthropic partners, running campaigns to raise money for charities supporting mothers and babies. From 2005 to 2006, the company ran a campaign in collaboration with UK pregnancy charity Tommy's, supported by actress Anna Friel and singer Jamelia, in which Séraphine donated 100 percent of the profits from the sales of its baby scan t-shirt. The campaign raised over £40,000 for Tommy's.[37]

In 2014, Séraphine launched its 'Just For Love' campaign in collaboration with the Los Angeles based charity Baby2Baby. The campaign encouraged women to upload a picture to their online gallery and in exchange Séraphine donated $1 for every image uploaded. The campaign raised over $1000 for Baby2Baby.[38]

Recognition

Séraphine has been recognized through various awards and accolades over the last decade. The company received the 'Best Specialist E-Tailer' award from the fashion business magazine Drapers in 2011.[20]

In 2012, the company received five awards at the Pregnancy & Baby Bloom Awards including ones for 'Best Evening Wear,' 'Best Nursing Top,' and 'Best Innovation.'[39]

Drapers awarded Séraphine's e-commerce website in 2014 for being the 'Best Multi-channel Retailer.'[40] Séraphine was recognized by The Sunday Times "Fast Track 100 Ones To Watch" from 2014.[41] The company was awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in 2015 after seeing a 35 percent growth in 2014.[42]

References

  1. ↑ Julie Earle-Levine (26 April 2013). "The mother of invention: stylish pregnancy wear". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  2. 1 2 Lisa Sidgwick (15 September 2014). "A new season with Séraphine". Baby World UK. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Zach Seemayer (13 September 2013). "The Woman Behind Kate Middleton's Maternity Style". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  4. ↑ Emma Spedding (20 August 2013). "Everything You Need To Know About Kate Middleton's Favourite Maternity Brand, Seraphine". Grazia Daily UK. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  5. ↑ Jessica Vince (7 March 2013). "SPOTTED: A Pregnant Kate Middleton Shopping For Seraphine's Maternity Dresses". Grazia Daily UK. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  6. ↑ "Mila Kunis Wearing Seraphine Maternity Jeans". Deminology. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Kate Middleton's Seraphine Dress In Official Royal Baby Portrait Is Flattering, Affordable". Huffington Post. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  8. 1 2 Tim Walker (12 November 2013). "Duchess of Cambridge gives babies' fashion label a boost". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  9. ↑ GLORIA MELLINGER (3 June 2014). "Seraphine: Comfy And Chic Celebrity Picks In Maternity Wear". Celebrity Baby Trends.
  10. ↑ BRETT MALEC (15 May 2014). "Christina Aguilera and Her Big Baby Bump Shop for Kids' Furniture in L.A". E! Online.
  11. ↑ Colette Fahy (7 January 2014). "Pregnant Gwen Stefani vamps it up with red lipstick and killer heels as she stops by an acupuncture clinic in LA". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  12. ↑ Jennifer Pearson (18 April 2014). "'Great prenatal ballet workout!' Pregnant model Doutzen Kroes takes her growing bump to the dance studio in new Instagram". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  13. ↑ Elizabeth Anderson (21 April 2015). "Queen's Enterprise Awards celebrate top companies in Britain". The Telegraph. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ Geoghegan, Jill; Hounslea, Tara (21 April 2015). "Hotter, Phase Eight and Seraphine win Queen's Award". Drapers. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ Brian Groom (21 April 2015). "Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2015: A boost to business". Financial Times. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 4 Beth Pitts (21 May 2012). "Cecile Reinaud: Founder, Séraphine Maternity Wear: Dressing the Bumps of Angelina Jolie & Halle Berry". The Next Women Business Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Created in Britain: Now delivering maternity clothes to the U.S. and more than 30 countries around the world". Womanthology. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  18. ↑ Nika Soon-Shiong (19 September 2013). "Q&A: Cecile Reinaud on outfitting the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  19. 1 2 Lydia Slater (19 October 2013). "The woman who makes the A-list bloom: Meet the founder of maternity favourite Séraphine". Daily Mail Online. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  20. 1 2 Jonathan Turton (21 August 2012). "Hampstead maternity store goes from strength to strength". West Hampstead Life. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "In talks with Seraphine's Cecile Renaud". Fashion United. 9 March 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  22. ↑ Rachael Grace (29 October 2012). "Séraphine now at John Lewis". Kingsroad. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  23. 1 2 Jill Geoghegan (15 November 2013). "Séraphine opens new store". Drapers. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  24. ↑ "Retail In Detail" (PDF). Knight Frank. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  25. ↑ Jessica Pallay (24 November 2014). "First Look: Seraphine Soho". Well Rounded NY. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  26. ↑ Petah Marian (10 November 2014). "Séraphine to open first US store in New York". Drapers Online. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  27. ↑ "Séraphine appoints new finance director". Fashion United. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "Seraphine Maternity New York Store". Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  29. ↑ "Kate Middleton's Seraphine dress sells out in just two hours". Hello! Magazine. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  30. ↑ Kate Samuelson (6 October 2013). "Duchess of Cambridge Kate trumps all other celebrity fans for Hampstead designer". Ham&High. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  31. ↑ Rebecca English (7 December 2014). "Kate lands with a bump: Pregnant Duchess arrives at New York hotel favored by Diana as royal couple touch down in the Big Apple". Daily Mail. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  32. ↑ "Duchess of Cambridge: December 9 2014". Vogue. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  33. ↑ "Kate Middleton and Prince William Arrive in New York". Vanity Fair. December 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  34. ↑ Carolyn Durand (19 January 2015). "Duchess Kate Says She Can Feel the Baby Kicking". ABC News. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  35. ↑ Lorelei Marfil (19 January 2015). "Duchess of Cambridge Dons Seraphine". WWD. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  36. ↑ Rosie Reeves (23 January 2015). "Best Dressed Celebrities This Week". Harpers Bazaar. Retrieved 30 January 2015.
  37. ↑ "Friel and Jamelia don T-shirts for Tommy's". PR Week. 26 January 2006. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  38. ↑ "Get Involved: Seraphine maternity – Introducing the #JustFor Love campaign". We Are The City. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  39. ↑ "Seraphine Maternity A/W 2012 LUXE Collection". Baby Bump Fashion. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  40. ↑ "Drapers Retail Week Paypal Etail Awards 2014 winners". Retail Week. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  41. ↑ "2014 The Sunday Times Fast Track Ones to Watch". Fast Track. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  42. ↑ Chloe Rigby (21 April 2015). "Online and multichannel businesses among winners of the Queen's Award for Enterprise". Internet Retailing. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
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