Great expectations: Keungzai
Suzanna Bain talks to Michelle Lee about her online maternity boutique - and moving into wholesale

June 2012.

Keungzai is an independent online maternity boutique selling own-label womenswear, as well as brands including Amoralia, Hot Milk, Cake Lingerie and Peaks of London.

Suzanna Bain talks to founder Michelle Lee about moving into wholesale and extending the online store's offer.

What’s Keungzai all about?

I founded Keungzai in 2011 after becoming frustrated by the market’s lack of stylish maternity clothes.

Our collection fills a gap in the market, for transitional clothing targeted at contemporary women who are looking for investment pieces.

A ‘luxurious feel at an affordable price’ is at the core of the boutique’s appeal.

Are there any plans for the Keungzai brand to extend into wholesale?

Yes. We have done a trial wholesale with a local independent designer boutique and they're thrilled with our s/s 12 pieces.

Our product is ideal for regional independent boutiques that would benefit from retaining customers who may normally shop elsewhere as they build their family.

We would like to extend our wholesale to more independent boutiques that may be interested in stocking our dual purpose range, which is perfect for pregnancy and post-birth wear.

Also, we would love to be stocked in premium online stores and have been in talks with a department store.

What are Keungzai’s current bestsellers and what key s/s 12 trends have customers been buying into?

Keungzai's 2-in-1 Chiffon Layered Printed T Nursing Dress and Sumptuously Soft Drape Back Dress have been our bestselling pieces in our own label collection. It's nice to see our customers buying into more directional pieces.

S/s 12's monochrome trend seems to have been the most popular transitional trend, as the weather has been slow to pick up. The black and white 2-in-1 nursing dress and oversized shirt also give a subtle nod to this season’s trend for tribal prints.

Amoralia's luxury lingerie has also done really well for us.

What emerging trends is Keungzai buying into for forward-order?

For own label, we have created a collection using muted colours, combined with a textured print on silk mix, rooted from ethereal and natural world inspirations.

We tend not to focus on particular seasonal trends too much, preferring to concentrate on producing timeless creations with an edge, designed to flatter both pregnant and non-pregnant shapes simultaneously.

For brands, we have balanced this by offering more commercial a/w 12 tomato red and emerald greens as key colours.

How are you furthering the online boutique’s offer?

We are planning to extend our own brand offering to provide more style and colour options, based on customer feedback.

We won't be adding new brands at this stage, which means we can develop and focus more on our own branded offering, for both wholesale and direct sales.

• Visit the Keungzai website.