Cléo Ferin Mercury (Co-Founder / Creative Direction)
Reimagining heritage fashion for the modern era.
The Problem: The silk scarf market was heavily saturated. On one side were heritage brands producing traditional square designs; on the other were contemporary labels with interesting prints but on lower-quality materials. We needed a way to make luxury silk relevant to a younger, trend-conscious audience who found traditional formats dated.
The Innovation: I conceptualised the "Animal Long Scarf"—a structural innovation that combined the luxury of silk with the playful silhouette of vintage fur stoles. This was the "design puzzle" solved: creating a luxury item that functioned as a wearable piece of art. Based on user engagement, we iterated the concept into a full range, including a Large Animal Scarf for practical warmth and a Mini version as a collectible accessory that could be tied to bags.
The Global Reach: This strategy propelled us from a niche studio to a brand featured on The Apprentice. We successfully scaled the business globally, selling through our dedicated e-commerce store and in boutiques and department stores across America, Europe, and Asia.
The Result: A seven-year venture that balanced high-end art direction with functional execution, proving that structural innovation can redefine a traditional category for a global audience.
Our scarves have been featured in esteemed fashion publications like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. Renowned personalities, including Caitlin Moran, Charlotte Olympia, Audrey Kitching, and The Beckerman Twins, adorned themselves with our scarves. There were whispers of style icons like Kate Moss and Grace Jones embracing our scarves, although these rumors were never officially confirmed.
In 2010, Cleo laid the foundation for our brand with a modest collection of silk scarves, which initially found homes in two London stockists. However, the turning point came in early 2011 when we embarked on a transformative journey, rebranding our identity. We relaunched our website and introduced our signature creations, the 'animal scarves'—luxurious silk scarves shaped into various captivating animals, reminiscent of fur stoles but exuding vibrant and playful designs.
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Fast forward to 2012, and a significant milestone was achieved as we secured funding from the UAL Seed Fund and received invaluable mentorship from Russell Hammond of The Scaphan Network. This support enabled us to fine-tune our production processes. By 2013, we were ready to make our debut on the global stage, showcasing our inaugural collection at New York and Paris Fashion Week with Capsule, where we captivated the international market.
Cléo Ferin Mercury at the London Fashion Week Design Showrooms
In 2016, our brand gained further recognition when we secured a spot on the BBC's 'The Apprentice.' Our scarves played a pivotal role in helping the winning team triumph in the episode titled 'Department Store'.
