I now consider myself a reformed influencer brand skeptic.
Influencer-founded brands have seen a renaissance over the past few years. From Chamberlain Coffee, to ONE/SIZE, to MrBeast Burger & Doughbriks Pizza, to D'Amelio Footwear, and more, we've seen creators leap from the small screen to becoming some of the most household-recognized labels in the market.
Albeit a self-proclaimed social media fanatic, the name "Matilda Djerf" never crossed my radar until Summer 2023 when I saw a storefront under construction for a brand called Djerf Avenue.
If you aren't familiar with Matilda Djerf or her fashion brand, I'll fill you in. Hailing from Sweden, Matilda is an influencer turned business mogul, with over 3M followers obsessed with her "clean girl" and "Scandinavian Core" aesthetic. Her RTW brand prides itself on its ethically sourced materials, classic silhouettes, and high-quality essentials.
The August 2023 pop-up store marked the brand's first foray into the NY market, proving to be a highly successful, highly trafficked retail experience for the e-comm brand. And a little over 6 months later, Djerf Avenue has returned to the Big Apple, this time in celebration of its new haircare range. The pop-up, located in the heart of SoHo, not only boasts hair styling appointments with Dyson hairdryers and trials of the brand's styling mist and gel, but also features a retail store with some of the brand's most loved styles including pajamas, bathrobes, suits, denim, tees and tanks, and accessories. Matilda also meets and greets guests, bringing an authentic approach to the experience.
While this may seem like a traditional experiential format, DA goes beyond the norm by popping the Scandi brand up beyond Houston Street. Known for "Nothing Fancy", cult-favorite Leon's Bagels teamed up with the clean brand for an LTO strawberry spread bagel concoction. Viral BonBon - A Swedish Candy Company also partnered with the brand to give the first 200 customers daily a bag of "Matilda's Favorites." Additionally, Bluestone Lane re-upped its partnership, which commenced this past Summer, to serve visitors a co-branded drink onsite and at nationwide café locations.
This saturation of the brand across Manhattan plays into the notion I mentioned a few weeks ago about giving local businesses a national spotlight. It also demonstrates the brand's careful consideration of ways to tap into Matilda's equities beyond her business.
As such, the meticulously branded takeover has changed my perception of influencer-founded brands for the better. I have learned more about Matilda and her passions, interests, and beliefs through the multifaceted experience; by partnering with different businesses that individually leverage a different facet of Matilda, I have been able to glimpse her lifestyle and feel like I'm supporting a friend through the humanized collaborations.
Kudos to Djerf Avenue and Redgert Comms for bringing Matilda's world to life authentically in NYC!
