Home 
Powder Design, an accessories brand based in Scotland, was created in 2009 by award-winning designer Lisa Beaumont. The brand’s collections are designed to be simultaneously wearable and glamorous by combining elements of texture, color, and attention to detail. We recently spoke with Hannah Graham, Head of Marketing at Powder Design, about how the brand incorporates Faire Markets into their wholesale strategy.
Shortly after joining the Faire marketplace, the company began attending Faire Markets—the online trade show events first launched in August 2020—as an additional way to connect with retailers. After participating in their first digital trade show, the Powder Design team was thrilled with the experience. Keep reading to see how Hannah and the team use Faire’s online events to attract new customers and increase their sales.
“It was a no-brainer to participate”
When Hannah first heard about Faire Markets, she immediately decided to participate. “[Faire Winter Market 2021] was our first digital show,” she said. Hannah recalled being most excited about Faire’s discount matching offer—meaning brands can offer greater discounts while Faire covers the difference—designed to increase sales for brands, while allowing retailers to stock more products. “I’d never seen that type of promotion before that was offered to us as a brand, and it was a huge discount for us,” said Hannah.
To prepare for Faire Markets, Hannah promotes Powder Design using a variety of marketing tools. “We used the marketing tool within Faire quite a lot. Prior to the winter market, I used the assets that Faire sent through and combined them with our own to build emails to send them out to our wider U.S.-based client list.”
Hannah also uses her Faire Direct link, which allows retailers to shop using Faire’s benefits while Faire processes the orders commission-free for Powder Design. “We did one or two mailouts in the run-up to the market. We put our Faire Direct link in there and we promoted the discounts.”
“We were pleasantly surprised”
The Powder Design team wasn’t sure what to expect from their first online trade show, but the order volume they received blew them away. “The sales for those three days were the same as what we’d been seeing the whole month previously,” Hannah shared.
Powder Design is no stranger to trade shows and fairs. Before the pandemic, the brand traveled to in-person shows, and they’ve tested several digital formats this year. “Nothing came close to the success of [Faire’s] winter market,” said Hannah. “Nothing else was so promotion driven.”
“The searchability on Faire is pretty powerful”
During Faire Winter Market, the Powder Design team was delighted to receive orders from existing customers as well as retailers who were new to their brand. “That was really exciting for us because we got so much more visibility during the market,” Hannah explained.
Hannah noted that the brand saw a large increase in page views and orders across their assortment. “The spike was huge across our Faire catalog, the majority of which were new orders,” she said.
“I think that Faire for us has been the best way to approach the independents that are scattered across a huge geography. The searchability on Faire is pretty powerful because that’s how we get a lot of new customers. Other digital trade shows don’t allow us discoverability.”
“The payment processing is completely streamlined”
One of Hannah’s favorite aspects of Faire’s platform and events is that she’s not responsible for collecting payment. “In person, it’s pen and paper—which has to be later input to Excel, sent to the customer, then they have to figure out terms and how to pay, and you have to chase them down. None of that happens on Faire,” she said. “[Retailers] get great terms that we [as a brand] don’t need to be liable for. There’s no hesitation about getting paid.”
Hannah and the Powder Design team plan to continue attending Faire Markets, while also using the Faire platform year-round to grow and simplify their wholesale business. Hannah’s advice to other brands?
“I would say that Faire is THE tool for connecting to independents. I say to people I barely know that this is where you need to be, how you should be operating. There’s so much potential for great relationships with independents. It’s so lovely to see how excited people get about your product.”
It’s free to participate in Faire Markets—just run a promotion on Faire during the event dates. Learn more about our next event here.
