The shows play a role in customer acquisition, too, she says. “These days, shows are all over Instagram, fashion shows aren’t gatekept by the industry [anymore]. Our direct-to-consumer contingent has definitely grown over the past few years,” says Jewsbury. Wholesale still makes up the majority of sales (60 per cent) and the brand has around 100 stockists worldwide including Dover Street Market, Net-a-Porter, Ssense, Bergdorf Goodman and 10 Corso Como Seoul. Its key markets are the UK, the US, Asia-Pacific (particularly Japan, South Korea and Australia), France, Germany and the UAE.
Part of what draws customers to Completedworks is that it feels contextualised within wider cultural conversations — politics, history, art. Jewsbury, who studied maths and philosophy at the University of Oxford, says that her collections are influenced by what she reads and sees around her. “I love that the collection can be in dialogue with the world. You have to bring your customers and community into your world, because at the end of the day there are a lot of brands out there so there has to be a reason why you’re doing your brand,” she says. The luxury slowdown has made it clear that customers are increasingly looking for connection, creativity and storytelling.
Putting on a performance
For Jewsbury, coming up with a unique show concept comes down to understanding different cultural references and having a solid group of collaborators to bounce ideas off. “It’s a collaborative process, but we definitely gave Laura [the script writer] a lot of free rein to go away with it, which is always the best way — and we were in good hands with Laura, she’s really talented,” says Jewsbury. “Sometimes it’s hard to let go, but when you do, you get the best outcome.”
