People’s Champion Finalist: Swoon Editions

Start-up name: Swoon Editions
Founders: Brian Harrison and Debbie Williamson
Started in: 2012
Based in: London
Business description: Online furniture retailer

Shortlisted categories:

Retail Business of the Year
Women in Business Award

The Swoon Editions story:

The cost of stylishly furnishing a home doesn’t come cheap and it was this issue that design entrepreneurs Brian Harrison and Debbie Williamson sought to tackle when they launched their start-up Swoon Editions.

Founded in 2012, Swoon Editions sells high quality, craftsman-made furniture at affordable prices (typically under £500) and does this by launching four new designs every day in a limited quantity to its customers – dubbed ‘Insiders’. The company’s design-to-market business model means that only the more popular designs go on to be produced in greater quantities thus keeping stock levels low and efficiency high.

This approach not only benefits consumers but serves designers too as the company can take designs to market very quickly without the usual restrictions of seasonal timings, trends or aesthetics.

With a rapidly increasing community of ‘Insiders’, the retail business has seen triple digit growth and employs 58 staff across London, Vietnam, India and China.

Swoon Editions’ business potential has not gone unnoticed by investors either. To date, the company has raised over £10m in equity funding from leading venture capital firms Index Ventures and Octopus Investments.

Why Swoon Editions made our 60:

Swoon Editions has all the makings to become a leading brand. Following in the footsteps of online furniture retailers such as MADE.com, we predict that Swoon will soon be the name on everyone’s lips when it comes to unique and stylish homewares.

Where to find out more about Swoon Editions:

Website: www.swooneditions.com 
Twitter: twitter.com/swooneditions   
Facebook: www.facebook.com/swooneditions