With a history as rich in heritage and iconic as Lands’ End, its no wonder this brand is still the go-to place when you want to look put together, without being over done. Offering some of the best in both basics, and brand focused trends, you can put all the pieces of your wardrobe together in one place. Roy Yun, Design Director of Footwear and Accessories, is a recent member of the Lands’ End team, however, you can already tell that he is passionate about his work and customers. When you are looking to update your closet with classic, contemporary pieces, Lands’ End is definitely the place for all your needs.
4 Questions with Roy Yun
1. How does your team generate new ideas?
We generate ideas in a few different ways. Our customer is our biggest informer, and her opinion is very important to us when thinking up new ideas. Also, since Lands' End has such a rich heritage, we look at our archives and continue to make sure we stick to our brand DNA. We like to shop globally, and see what is happening in the rest of the world. Ultimately, we want to create new ideas for our customer, and we want to hold their hands on this journey. We want to make our clothes relevant, without being too fashionable.
2. What is the biggest challenge you face when innovating?
Sometimes, the biggest challenge can be ourselves. We limit ourselves because we worry about going out of bounds. In many instances, innovation means you have to go through the whole, potentially difficult, process to see the end results. It needs to be executed how you want it to, and you can't deviate because there are obstacles. You need to find ways to get over the obstacles and follow through with your plan. Innovation doesn't have to be a huge idea, it can be a small incremental gain.
3. What makes an innovative culture? How do you create a culture of innovation?
Personally, I think that I am an innovative person, and that I challenge myself everyday. This definitely has a trickle down effect. Focus is part of an innovative culture. Teaching is very important. You need to pass your information along, and listening to these young, creative minds is inspiring. Innovation comes in many forms, and starting with a great culture helps to breed innovation.
4. Looking to the future, how will Lands’ End continue to be a leader in innovation?
We will continue to be a leader by looking at our customer. We need to think, how can we be more customer focused, how can she have a higher quality experience and how can we make the products sing to her when she sees them on the screen? Focusing on what our customers want and need will allow us to continue to be innovative.
