Hommey CEO reveals passion behind his best-selling bathrobes
A hugely successful young Aussie has revealed the “moment of clarity” behind his best-selling, TikTok viral brand.
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For founder Justin Kestelman, he sees Hommey (pronounced home-y) as more than your average homewares brand and instead something that “comes from an emotion and a feeling”.
“It’s not just a product. And that’s where the brand name came from. How can we give the brand an identity?” the Melbourne businessman, now 29, tells news.com.au checkout.
This sense of feeling and emotion behind the brand has clearly worked with Hommey not only seeing success but also the cult following that most brands only dream of.
Their best-selling robe has been sold a staggering 30,000 times and sold out nine times since it launched in July 2022.
LIGHT BULB MOMENT
It all started in 2020 when Justin moved into his South Yarra apartment right before Melbourne’s first lockdown. He says he started to feel “overwhelmed” when researching soft furnishings. There were so many brands to choose from and each brand focused on a separate category like cushions, throws and other decor items that then would all require a styling skill set Justin didn’t possess.
It was this “anxiety of decision paralysis” that led to a “moment of clarity” and the idea of Hommey came to life.
In January 2021, Hommey officially came to market but it wasn’t until around July of that year, that things really started to take shape.
“The first six months were really about understanding the problem and the challenge that I was facing and if other people could really resonate with that.
“And once we got a little bit of validation, it was about July when we launched our first proper collection. It was the first time we took production overseas,” says Justin.
Over three years later, the relatively small but mighty team of eight people live and breathes Hommey and its products. From cushions and bedding to towels and throws, whatever you need for your home, the brand now covers.
As CEO and Chief Comfort Officer, Justin’s background in marketing ensures that he is the perfect person when it comes to the creative and visual direction of campaigns and shoots.
While designer Abbie Davis is “really the genius behind all the designs and the colourways,” says Justin.
He also sees him, and his wife Sophia, as the “test case” for all the products. He says, “Nothing really goes past the both of us before it hits the market.”
TAKING SOCIAL MEDIA BY STORM
If you’ve been on TikTok at all in the past year, you’d be hard-pressed to have not seen someone donning one of the iconic Hommey robes.
“For us, TikTok is really such a natural channel,” says Justin.
Their target market is Gen Z and millennials and he says it just makes sense for the brand.
“As a marketer, for us, it’s all about ‘how do we talk to our customer in a tone, and in a way that really appeals to them based on the channel?’”
Home is a reflection of our individual brand, says Justin, and he points out that Covid taught us that when you’re spending so much time in a place you want that place to be an extension of who you stand for.
“Hommey is really an extension of such a broad audience and we want to help bring and inspire customers to create a home that reflects who they are with our brand.
“And I think how we do that is through our variety, our accessibility of price point, the multicategory approach where you can come to our brand and you can style your kitchen in a really minimal muted way. Or you can go really fun and have a real pop of flair in your bedroom through our big, thick stripes. Or if you’re not really into stripes, go with our solid bathroom range.
“So I think that’s where it all kind of stems from, it’s how do we help? And how do we inspire Gen Z and millennials to create a reflection of who they are through their homes.”
THE BESTSELLING ROBES
It would be fair to say that the introduction of the robes in July 2022 really changed the game for Hommey.
But, despite the huge record sales, Justin does admit it was a risk.
“Introducing stripes that are really bold, colourful, and fun is risky.”
But the risk certainly paid off. The robes are now Hommey’s best-selling item and over 30,000 units have sold. Now, the biggest challenge is actually keeping them in stock. In just over two years since they launched, they’ve sold out over nine times.
My robe arrived a couple of weeks ago and I have barely taken it off since then. I’ve never been a huge robe person and even proudly declared that fact to my friends who are fans but I’m happy to admit, I was wrong.
Clearly, I was just wearing the wrong robes.
Made from 100 per cent cotton, the robe is in a towelling material and is the perfect for the bathroom, home and beach.
I wear mine on top of my pyjamas at night and over my clothes when getting ready in the morning to not spill any makeup. I also put it on as soon as I walk in the door after work. It’s like a warm hug welcoming you home.
I also can’t wait for the weather to warm up and wear it after a swim at the beach.
THE FUTURE OF HOMMEY
In exciting news, the brand is about to launch sleepwear. Going live on 27th August, customers can expect matching sets in the brand’s beloved colourways like Rocky Road.
The brand is also introducing an iced chocolate blue and brown, matcha and a more neutral white.
“It’s going to be amazing,” says Justin.
I’ve seen a sneak peek of the collection and as a pink girl myself, I’ve already got my eye on the Rocky Road pink striped set.
Hommey is also expanding into bricks and mortar, with two stores already in Melbourne’s Armadale and South Yarra. Two more stores are launching in Victoria over the next six months and after that, interstate will be next.
“We want our customers to be able to experience the brand in the flesh,” Justin says.
“We don’t refer to them as even customers in store, they are guests of our home.
“And being able to provide that experience around Australia is such an important part of our next evolution.”
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