If you're not familiar with Veronica Beard, you should be. In fact, you probably already are, without even knowing it. A favorite of Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon and Sarah Jessica Parker, the New York-based label's profile was raised exponentially in September when the Princess of Wales wore a Veronica Beard dress in the video announcing she had completed her chemotherapy treatment and would be temporarily returning to life as a working royal. Within 24 hours the video had been viewed more than 27 million times.
The brand's co-founders, Veronica Swanson Beard and Veronica Miele Beard, discovered at the same time as the rest of the world that the princess had chosen to wear their 'Castella' dress - a dress with blouson sleeves and ruffles at the hem, made of soft material . cotton. "We had no idea," says Swanson Beard. "What you choose to wear says so much about you and what you feel at that moment. It was such a bohemian, feminine, vulnerable kind of look, when she could just as easily have been wearing a power suit. It was a beautiful moment that made me very emotional when it happened."
"And that tender moment - that part of her life - is the real part," adds Miele Beard.
"It reminded us that even when you're on the world stage, we're all the same," Swanson Beard said. "We all have those moments. She will forever remember that dress as the embodiment of the moment she came back. [Like] I will never forget the dress I wore the night I met my husband."
About that. You may have noticed that Veronica Beard's co-founders have the most confusing names in fashion. The reason they have the same name is because they are sisters-in-law: Swanson Beard (tall, blonde, shades of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy) is married to Jamie, and Miele Beard (slightly shorter, brunette, shades of Brook Shields) is married to his brother, Anson. Their uncle was the artist and photographer Peter Beard.
Known in fashion circles as "the Veronicas" (we'll call them VSB and VMB for convenience), they first met at a wedding 22 years ago. VMB was already married to Anson and was tickled when his brother Jamie started flirting with VSB, who was single. "I thought it was fantastic that our names were both Veronica," says VMB. "There aren't many of us around."
Before you could say "monogrammed towels," they were one big happy family, with the two Veronicas quickly becoming as close as the brothers they married. So close, in fact, that they decided to launch a label, Miele Beard's career in investment banking and Swanson Beard's career as a fashion designer (she studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York and previously worked for Narciso Rodriguez) to equip them with the disparate but necessary strengths they needed to succeed in a tough market. "We are entrepreneurs," says Miele Beard. "We saw this opening for a product that didn't exist for women, only for men."
The product in question is the dickey, a smart, modern hero piece that forms the foundation of their company. If you've ever wondered why the high street is flooded with detachable denim, knit or hooded bibs, it's probably because they're inspired by Veronica Beard. Simply snap (or zip) the bib into a coat or jacket and it will instantly take on a more casual, nuanced look, minus the bulk usually associated with layering. "It's our suit and tie," says Miele Beard. "If you put it on, you can slay dragons."
Above Dickey, £305; Padded hoodie Dickey, £268Veronica BeardIf the Veronica Beard shopper comes for the dickeys, she stays for the capsule wardrobe designed for easy mixing and matching. It's Ralph Lauren with more accessible prices (prices range from £116 for a T-shirt to £2,298 for a reversible shearling coat), the nearest UK equivalent being Jigsaw, Whistles or Me+Em. Like those brands, Veronica Beard targets the cash-rich, time-poor woman who wants to balance work, leisure and family, who wants to look smart but not strict, chic but not businesslike. "She sees us as a resource," says Miele Beard. "Here is one-stop shopping for her."
With eight children between them (Miele Beard has five between the ages of 14 and 22; Swanson Beard has three between the ages of 11 and 18), they certainly live the same lives as their busy clientele. "We always say we are our customer," Swanson Beard adds. "Every female designer says that, but we really think about it in such a microscopic way, in every detail of the design process."
Their attention to detail has paid off: since launching in 2010, they have become the best-selling brand at US department store Neiman Marcus. Turnover for 2023 exceeded £190 million, and with 21 standalone stores in the US, their current focus is on international expansion. They opened their second store in London in August and have now set their sights on Seoul and Paris.
"We always do a lot of homework before deciding on new categories or new points of sale," says Miele Beard. 'Who is the woman there? Does she dress like us and what is her purpose? And furthermore: what is the price of silk at the moment? We are not building the stadium for the fans. We also do a lot of data research. If the product isn't good, it won't sell. Because we have been in business for 14 years, we realize that fitness is the main reason why someone comes back. If they feel good in these clothes, they will come back."
Taylor two-tone jeans, £368, Dashboard bag, £648, Valentina sneakers, £260, Veronica Beard Veronica Beard Veronica BeardA month before the Princess of Wales wore one of their dresses, the Duchess of Sussex wore one of their suits during her tour of Colombia with Prince Harry. "Our customer loved seeing both women," smiles Miele Beard. "We are agnostic as to the politics of these two. We love and celebrate all women."
At the time, the Duchess was criticized in some quarters for looking too casual, as her navy blue halterneck jacket had no sleeves. "She's got good arms!" laughs Miele Baard. "It was still buttoned up and fitted."
"That cardigan jacket was the biggest trend of the year," Swanson Beard adds. "It was the suit of the summer."
Meghan's 'Orlinda' jacket (£598) is still on sale, and is one of countless variations of the blazer hanging in their Bruton Street store when we meet, from leather to linen to Prince of Wales check. Current bestsellers include the €648 'Dash' bag, a €260 'Valentina' sneaker and the €368 two-tone 'Taylor' jeans. With stiff competition in what Americans call the "sub-luxury" market mention - mid-range, to you and me - they are candid that Britain has been a tough nut to crack. "London has been an incredible learning experience for us," says Swanson Beard. "We opened here and it lasted [time, as in the UK there was] very little brand awareness. When you think about the sheer volume of brands here, the wallet share for this customer is huge."
Just like the ambitions of the Veronicas. "The hardest part is staying successful and always feeling like someone is nipping at your toes," says Swanson Beard about life at the helm of a fast-growing company. 'They are all behind us. There is room for everyone, but what still applies to our brand is its authenticity. Women identify with it and know that we are really thinking about their lives." They know it, they add, because they live it.