SKFK: A Creative And Sustainable Designer Fashion Brand
Back in September, we met with Alba Feijoo, Head of Communication & Marketing, and Mikel Izurieta, Ecommerce Manager, at SKFK's headquarters in Bilbao (Bizkaia) to talk about the brand, its history, and its identity.
About SKFK
SKFK was created at the end of the 1990s in the Basque Country. It has ever since been creating a different, creative, and timeless type of fashion. The firm is GOTS-certified and was the first Fair Trade®-certified fashion house in Spain.
SKFK champions the creation of a unique identity through pieces of art and design and values the creative work behind the creation of a collection. Prints and creative works are developed entirely at its offices in the Basque Country, and it partners with artists and designers who have helped it create a meeting point between fashion and art.
SKFK is synonymous with innovation, style, and environmental commitment.
Throughout its history, SKFK has rolled out significant changes in both business and marketing strategy and product. It has perfected its know-how by fusing experience in clothing design with a passionate commitment to sustainability. The firm uses low-impact fabrics and sustainable production processes in its creations to ensure that garments are not just attractive but also environmentally friendly.
Business model: ecommerce platform
SKFK started out in the multi-brand and retail industry, although it soon saw the need to have its own ecommerce platform to offer its products and expand.
On a business front, rebranding marked an important milestone in 2019. What's more, the growth of ecommerce, especially from 2020, transformed online sales into a cornerstone of its business model as it means it can reach a global audience. This commitment to online selling led the firm to change its ecommerce platform in 2023 with the goal of enhancing the customer experience and offer added value in each product.
"Switching to a platform like PrestaShop gives us the freedom to arrange our products in a more creative way. What's more, it gives us the chance to include specific information regarding sustainability and design in the product sheet". Alba Feijoo, Head of Communication & Marketing.
Migration to PrestaShop with implementation of PrestaShop Checkout
Mikel explains that the firm chose PrestaShop based on criteria such as the flexibility of the platform (which allows it to customize the store according to its needs and brand vision), its robust ecosystem, and its extensive catalog of modules and extensions that streamline the integration of new functionalities as required.
SKFK's priority during the development phase was to deliver a seamless user experience that was aligned with its values. Therefore, the design had to be intuitive, attractive, and reflect its sustainable brand and design identity. Likewise, browsing needed to be easy, to follow a clear and accessible purchase process, and to propose a fast, secure, and simple payment system.
Regarding the rollout of a payment solution, SKFK incorporated the PrestaShop Checkout module from the outset because the firm saw that it allowed them to centralize all payment methods in a single interface, thereby reducing technical complexity and simplifying customers' purchases and the internal management of its ecommerce and accounting teams.
What's more, the firm valued the fact that it's a complete payment solution that includes credit cards, PayPal, and the ability to incorporate local payment methods. In this sense, not only was it useful in the short term, but it also made it easier to enter other markets in the long term.
"Internally, it saves a great deal of time by simplifying the management of multiple payment gateways on a single interface. Without this tool, we'd have to manage each payment option individually, which would increase the administrative workload. We reckon that we've reduced payment processing time by 30% to 40%."
Mikel Izurieta, Ecommerce Manager.
A sustainable future
In the coming years, SKFK plans to expand its presence in international markets through its ecommerce and multi-brand outlets. What's more, it will continue to invest in technology to enhance the online shopping experience, with a focus on personalization, the sustainability of its processes, and the use of even more innovative and environmentally friendly materials.
"For the future, we want to continue as a benchmark in creative and sustainable design fashion, both locally and internationally. We want to expand into new markets but without losing the essence that has defined us over the past twenty-five years. Our goal is to continue developing products with their own identity that inspire our customers." Alba Feijoo, Head of Communication & Marketing.
Conclusion
SKFK's philosophy encompasses more than just clothing production; it's an invitation to adopt a conscious and sustainable lifestyle. It has found its niche at the intersection of fashion and sustainability. Staying true to its origins and defending environmental values differentiates SKFK in a very competitive market, offering products that don't follow fashion trends and that respond to an ever-growing demand for conscious and responsible practices.
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