Crafting The Great: A Vision for Modern Vintage with Emily Current and Meritt Elliott

Ken Pilot interviews Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, Co-Founders of fashion brand, The Great, on this Flight of The Retail Pilot Podcast. Plus, he has a short "Pre-Flight" conversation with Jan Kniffen, former retail executive and current CNBC retail expert, to discuss what 2025 looks like for the retail industry.Pre-Flight with Jan KniffenJan Kniffen shares his outlook for retail in 2025:Retailers are optimistic after a solid 2024 holiday seasonConsumer spending expected to remain healthy, especially among higher-income shoppersLower-income consumers adapting to higher costsTariffs not a major concern for most retailersPositive outlook for discretionary retailers like Ralph Lauren, Nike, LululemonInterview with Emily Current and Meritt ElliottKen speaks with the co-founders of The Great about their journey and brand:Brand OriginsMet as UCLA students, bonded over vintage fashionStarted as celebrity stylists before launching denim brand Current/ElliottFounded The Great in 2015, focusing on casual, nostalgic AmericanaThe Great BrandOffers casual, vintage-inspired clothing across multiple categoriesAbout $50 million in annual revenueDistribution split between e-commerce, retail stores, and wholesaleBusiness ApproachSelf-funded, focused on organic growthValue wholesale partnerships alongside direct-to-consumerEmphasis on in-person experiences and community buildingCollaborationsPartnerships with Eddie Bauer, Birkenstock, Pottery BarnInterested in future collaboration with ConverseMarketing StrategyRely heavily on word-of-mouth and organic growthUse collaborations and retail stores as marketing toolsCelebrity fans include Reese Witherspoon and Rachel BilsonFuture PlansExpanding reach to new geographic marketsConsidering growth in men's, children's, and home categoriesWorking as Co-CEOsEmphasize complementary skills and shared visionStress importance of understanding all aspects of the businessHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.