A business that started with a Scouser knocking on his brother's door has emerged victorious on Dragons' Den.
Luxe Collective was founded by brothers Ben and Joe Gallagher from Formby in 2018. Ben discovered their mum was able to buy their sister a pair of designer shoes from under £100 from a website selling second hand luxury goods.
Ben knocked on Joe’s door, who he had worked with previously to sell candles, air fresheners, books and underwear, and asked if he would be interested in starting a business with a similar concept.
READ MORE: The Liverpool Echo Premium app is just £12 for 12 months for a limited time
The pair founded Luxe Collective with Joe’s savings and the leftover money from a loan used to buy his car. It soon gained traction, offering people the chance to sell their luxury goods to the business, which Ben and Joe would then sell onto the customers for less than other luxury brands. Ben quit his job in insurance after just one month and worked full-time on the business, aiming to open a physical shop.
Ben described him and Joe as "brothers in jobs they didn't like and took a risk".
In the first episode of this season’s Dragons' Den, shown tonight on BBC One, Ben and Joe alongside Oliver Millar, the Chief Operations Officer, pitched their business plan to the Dragons in the hope of receiving investment from one or more of the business people on the show.
Luxe Collective piqued the Dragons’ interest throughout the episode. This pivotal moment showcased the brand’s evolution from a startup to a thriving company, providing viewers with insights into the founders’ roots and a behind-the-scenes look at the highs and lows of navigating the business landscape, particularly within the social media space that Luxe Collective inhabits.
Eventually Steven Bartlett, known for his Diary of a CEO podcast, pledged to invest in the business. Speaking to the ECHO, Ben said it was a massive relief after a long wait to get on the show.
Ben said: “I applied to go on, then we got a call from people who worked on the show, and off the back of that they absolutely loved it. It took about a year from the first call to getting on the show.”
Ben revealed the episode was filmed before the business launched a pop-up shop in August last year – and it was the show that convinced them to make their presence known in the capital. He said: “It was off the back of the show that we decided to do the pop-up. When we spoke to the Dragons, they said, you need to have a presence in London.
“We came back from Dragons' Den and did the shop 6 weeks later. One of the dragons said, ‘fail fast and fail forward so you know what to do next time.’”
Ben said the pop-up show was most valuable for making connections in the fashion industry rather than sales. He said: “The business connections we received were great. We got to speak to some really cool people in the industry.
“It made us feel that we've cemented our place at the top in this industry. They were curious as to how we got here – being in Liverpool, not having huge investments into the business when we started, being young lads. It was a real confidence booster.”
Ben also used Luxe Collective’s TikTok channel to tell fascinating stories from the world of luxury fashion, from the backgrounds of famous designers to controversial Vogue covers, rather than showcasing the business’ product, to gain traction on the app and promote loyalty to the brand.
“We’ve had no fear. Because we’re in Liverpool and not in London, we’re not afraid to speak about a subject others might hold back on. We started this company ourselves and anything that goes on is on us.”
Commenting on the outcome of the episode, he said: “We are excited to have had the opportunity to share our story and vision on such a respected platform. Being given this opportunity on this national stage is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, and we are excited to continue pushing the boundaries within the preloved luxury industry. This is just the start. You will hear more from Luxe, we promise you."
Over the past year, Ben has interviewed Hollywood stars such as Jared Leto and attended fashion events from around the world. Reflecting on these achievements, he said: “When I have those opportunities, it feels like another thing to book in the calendar, we’re so focused on the next day.
“We rarely take time to see how we've progressed. I was just thinking, wow, five years ago, if you'd have told me I’d have this life – going to Vogue events interviewing Jared Leto, going to Milan for the fashion show, I would have laughed, I would have called them stupid, disillusioned.”
Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here