Sarah Staudinger on how Staud became a celebrity-favourite brand

When Sarah Staudinger and George Augusto launched their label, Staud in 2015, little did they know, that in no time at all, their brand would become a cult-favourite among some of the leading names in the industry. With fans like Kendall Jenner, Dakota Jonhsan, Eva Chen and Emily Ratajkowski, Staud's success in the age of Instagram puts its founders in a covetable alignment of timing and place. In an exclusive interview with Vogue India, the California-based Staudinger reveals the secret behind the success of the brand. Excerpts below.

Tell us how Staud came into being

My partner, George Augusto and I founded STAUD in 2015 because we felt that it was difficult to find something that wasn’t overly trend-driven, or had a timeless quality at an accessible price point. We saw a gap in the direct-to-consumer market for sophisticated, well-priced clothing, and also felt really strongly about the landscape being stagnant and repetitive. We put a lot of time and thought into our content creation, messaging and overall aesthetic so that our customers could connect to our product on a more emotional level. Our customer and our desire to produce accessible, yet innovative pieces for the contemporary woman, are the driving forces behind Staud’s success.

How would you describe your customer?

The Staud girl is someone who wants to feel stylish and unique without having to spend a fortune. Our customers want elegant, refined pieces that can transcend seasons and be either dressed up or down. They want clothing that can go from the office to a date night, and a handbag that works at a dinner and party. The Staud girl understands values, she likes to mix different price points, and is a smart shopper. She’s someone who understands the value of product versatility, and that she can wear a dress or a top more than once.

Who were some of the first celebrities spotted in Staud?

Some of the first major celebrities who wore our pieces included Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez and Margot Robbie, among others.

What are the steps you took to ensure that Staud stood out in the market?

We like to think of the brand as a personality; it’s ever changing and growing, it has opinions and mood swings. The mood of a collection can change from season to season and photoshoot to photoshoot. We don’t abide by a strict brand book, or follow a rule book for what works and what doesn’t. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, and I think that resonates with the customer. We are professionally unprofessional. The idea of not being overly polished is refreshing to us.

How did Instagram help you create a cult following?

Instagram has really become an aid for brands to express their identity. It helped us build a visual brand identity, so we could tell our story and reach a wide audience. It’s been both a playground and testing ground for us, and has helped us grow our business in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Having influencers like Leandra Medine from ManRepeller, or Kendall Jenner post our product on Instagram is such an amazing way to gain exposure, while also showing customers ways to style our pieces.

Is there a new ‘it’ bag round the corner?

Our Felix Bag from our spring/summer 2020 collection just launched on our website. It’s a soft leather, small shoulder bag that is available in six different colours.

Scroll ahead for a closer look at some of the international celebrities spotted in Staud.

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