“The essence of Lys Boutique is translated through an effortlessly chic style. Where even the combination of basic items is beautifully transformed into a unique representation of who we are. You first see the woman and then you see the clothes.” – Clara Mandujano, founder
Hello my lovelies,
Let’s talk about Lys Boutique, created by Clara MANDUJANO during quarantine number 1.
Clara, born in Peru, was brought up in Barcelona and now lives in Belgium with her husband Robin. She has always been passionate about fashion. Therefore, as the Corona crisis erupted, having a lot of time on her hands, she decided to start her own online boutique.
Through Lys Boutique, she wants to provide effortlessly chic designs for modern women. By that, she means that she “wants her customers to find quality, chic, well thought design, effortless clothing and accessories.”
“You first see the woman, then you see the clothes,” she added.
Clara kindly took the time to explain to me the process in building her startup.
Step 1: Positioning
After doing a thorough market research, she noticed that there was a major gap for online boutiques selling quality design clothing at an accessible price.
Step 2: Service
Clara knew she wanted quality and sustainability. That’s why the packaging is 100% biodegradable. She also invested in a well-crafted website that she designed herself together with her husband.
In addition, one of Lys Boutique’s strengths is the fast customer service. No matter what time of day it may be, as soon as Clara sees a message, she responds immediately.
In order to meet her clients, Clara is always busy finding a location for a pop-up store or exhibition.
Step 3: Collections
Lys Boutique tries to launch a new collection every 3 weeks and has the next one or two following collections ready. Bigger brands may have their collections ready for the following year, however, being a small business, Clara cannot afford right now to have collections planned so far ahead.
The creation of a collection is done in 3 main steps:
• Selection
This process entails choosing a theme and searching for items that match the theme and the boutique’s style.
• Photoshoot
Once all the items have been chosen, Clara needs to book the photographer and model(s) as well as a location that blends in with the theme. Editing the pictures takes between a week to 10 days.
• Content creation
Before launching a new collection, it is crucial to have all the content for each channel ready. This step includes writing a newsletter, the product descriptions for each item on the website, designing the social media ads and banners, among others.
Step 4: Partnerships
A key aspect of the business is to promote local entrepreneurs. To do so, they build partnerships and collaborations. For instance, for Lys Boutique’s first anniversary in October, Clara is planning on releasing a jewellery collection with local entrepreneur, Jules Jewels.
It was very interesting to meet a young entrepreneur. I’ve always been passionate about fashion. It was very enriching to learn and understand how the magic is done.
Please head to www.lysboutique.be to see the new collection. Please note that shipping is currently only done to Belgium, Germany, France and The Netherlands. Also, please follow them on social media: @shop.lysboutique on Instagram.
Thanks and stay safe !
-Kat.