Why Kat The Label is making a bigger bet on the US market

Australian lingerie brand Kat The Label is ready to make itself at home in the US. Founded by Kate Nixon almost a decade ago, the Melbourne-based intimates and bridal brand is gearing up to open its first permanent US store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood later this month, marking a significant milestone in its international expansion.

And the timing isn’t coincidental. According to Anna Metcalfe, head of marketing and growth at Kat The Label, the brand’s US business is currently growing between 80% and 100% year over year, surpassing Australia to become its largest revenue-generating market.

“The US has been a really big focus for the brand over the past five or six years,” Metcalfe told Retail Brew. “We’ve seen a lot of success in the market, and New York in particular has been somewhere that we’ve always really tapped into because we’ve had a really strong customer base there.”

Store of the show: The upcoming location, near the corner of Spring and Lafayette Streets, follows several successful New York pop-ups and the opening of the brand’s flagship Australian boutique in Armadale, Victoria, last October.

Those activations offered the brand a compelling reason to invest in physical retail. Around 85% of customers acquired through its New York pop-ups, for example, were new to the brand, according to Metcalfe.

“A lot of people are a bit hesitant to purchase the product until they can see it in person,” she said. “They can really touch and feel the product. They can see the quality, and they can also try it on because obviously [with] lingerie, you want the fit to be perfect.”

But the store isn’t just about selling lingerie. Per Metcalfe, the location also offers an opportunity to reach shoppers who may not have encountered the brand online, particularly given the neighborhood’s mix of residents and international tourists.

The company is treating New York as a test market for further US retail expansion, with additional stores potentially on the horizon.

Here comes the bride: Another major component of Kat The Label’s US growth strategy is bridalwear, a category Metcalfe said resonates particularly strongly with US shoppers.

From bachelorette parties and bridesmaid gifts to wedding-day robes and honeymoon lingerie, the brand is positioning itself across multiple stages of the wedding journey. Its New York store will feature a dedicated bridal suite, allowing customers to try on pieces alongside friends and family.

Metcalfe believes that focus, coupled with the brand’s accessible pricing and elevated designs, will help distinguish it from competitors such as Victoria’s Secret and Skims.

Bridal is also serving as a customer acquisition tool, with the hope of converting wedding-related purchases into longer-term relationships.

“We’re really focusing on: How do we retain them? How do we get them to shop again? How do we get them to experience the brand across multiple areas of their life, not just that first-time purchase?” Metcalfe said.

Kat The Label has additionally attracted celebrity attention from the likes of Kylie Jenner and Sabrina Carpenter, both of whom were introduced to the brand through stylist gifting and PR efforts.

Still, celebrity exposure doesn’t always translate directly into sales. “It didn’t necessarily generate a huge sales spike,” Metcalfe said, “but definitely the awareness, the press that we got out of it…has been amazing.”

Meanwhile, collaborations with influencers have helped the brand tap into new audiences through co-designed collections.

Looking ahead, Metcalfe said Kat The Label is targeting 100% annual US growth, with additional bridal collaborations, partnerships, and local activations planned. And if its first New York store performs well, shoppers can expect more physical locations to follow.