How Flattered Became a Full-Fledged Shoe Brand
It all started with a ballerina shoe that became a hit on social media. Seven years later, Flattered has grown into a full-scale shoe brand, thriving with its own e-commerce platform.
The story of Flattered began in 2013 when Gustav Lidén and Hanna Kwiatkowska Tisner saw a gap in the market for luxurious indoor ballerina shoes. The success was immediate—the shoes became a bestseller—and soon, the range expanded.
"People wanted to use the shoes outdoors, so the first thing we did was essentially make outdoor shoes by adding thicker soles to the indoor shoes. From there, it grew into more and more models. Today, the original product is no longer the focus. We’re now a strong shoe brand with a full product range," says Gustav Lidén, the CEO of Flattered today.
Part of Flattered’s success has been its early triumph on social media. Notably, Isabella Löwengrip, now a co-owner of Flattered, highlighted the shoes, giving them a major boost.
"It was obviously very effective, but we also decided that it wasn’t enough to ride on Isabella’s followers. We had to be just as good as everyone else at driving traffic. And we’ve done that really, really well." The large traffic surge has led to rapid growth for Flattered. The brand is sold in places like NK, Åhléns, and Boozt, as well as through a number of foreign retailers, but it is in its own channel where the growth is most evident. In 2020, Flattered grew by 200% compared to the previous year. A key part of this success is their ability to analyze their traffic and sales with the help of Peasy’s automated reports.
"We have several different reporting tools, but what’s incredibly effective about Peasy is that their report arrives every day and is adjusted for VAT and currency conversions. This allows me to get a clear overview of how we're doing in a second. It’s very practical for us and makes it easier to make the right decisions," says Gustav Lidén.
Finally, what is your best tip for succeeding in e-commerce?
"Becoming really good at driving traffic. It’s not enough to have a nice website and expect people to find it on their own. A large volume of visitors is key to success."
