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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    How we are coping as a business during the Covid-19 Pandemic

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    • Bfd70B
      Bfd70
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      I really enjoyed that response. Because relatively speaking IH is a small operation it made it easy to wrap ones head around the impact of the current situation to businesses.
      In the meantime money isn’t going to my barber or bartender so a CPO and a Westpoint are one the way.

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • Madame ButtonflyM
        Madame Buttonfly
        IHUK Crew
        Joined:

        Thanks all for your encouragement and support  😘

        As G said we've never expected or encountered anything like this before.  One of the questions from the bank about the emergency loan was:

        "When the Pandemic is resolved, how long do you believe it will take you to start recovery?"

        I found that tricky to answer.  I wanted to say "We've no bloody idea when it will be resolved, so I've no bloody idea!"

        Instead I wrote "Another difficult question to answer, because none of us knows when the Pandemic will be resolved.  If we base this on a period of 4-6 months before the Pandemic is at least considered “under control” then we should be able to start to recover quickly.  We expect to keep our staff team intact and motivated, and we are extremely fortunate to have a very large, loyal, international customer base." Which is the truth, and we're very grateful for it.

        If they ask any more impossible questions, I might be reaching out to you guys to help with my responses!  😃

        AKA Mrs G

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        • S
          Snowy
          Joined:

          Can we send you photos of both new and worn gear from around the world to attach as "Appendix A"? Maybe 5-600 photos in a day or two to show loyalty? 🙂  😃

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • SeulS
            Seul
            Joined:

            "Give them the loan or the bunny gets it!.."

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • Madame ButtonflyM
              Madame Buttonfly
              IHUK Crew
              Joined:

              Nice - if very different - tactical suggestions @Snowy and @Seul  😃

              Happily I think we'll be fine getting the loan, just may take time because we entered this strange phase of our business life in a strong position, my bank manager will understandably be prioritising the businesses who need the dosh soonest.

              AKA Mrs G

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              • steelworkerS
                steelworker
                見習いボス
                Joined:

                😶

                Those are my principles, and if you don't like them…
                Well, I have others.

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • D
                  Danny RnH
                  Raw and Unwashed
                  Joined:

                  I appreciate Iron Heart's practical approach to this outbreak. Good communication really helps us plan a route through this working together.

                  We started out online in 2012 so it feels like we have temporarily returned to those halcyon times before we opened the physical stores. Although the London and Manchester stores are closed to the public we are able to receive deliveries and ship to our online customers.

                  3 days a week one of our employees on a voluntary basis goes to the store (mainly James who lives near the London store and can crack on with his PHD in peace and quiet) He gets online orders ready to ship and leaves them by the door 8 metres away from the DHL driver who comes to collect. He also cycles a short distance to the store thus avoiding any public transport.

                  We too are talking to the banks about loans to get us through this period. We have to support the brands as without them we won't have a business on the other side of this. We are grateful to everyone who supports us at this time. We are very much all in this together and together we'll come out battle weary but in tact  at the sunny end of this dark tunnel.

                  Danny
                  www.rivetandhide.com

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • Madame ButtonflyM
                    Madame Buttonfly
                    IHUK Crew
                    Joined:

                    Thanks for update, @Danny RnH - as you say, good communication is key, and it just so happens that we love talking to you, so it's a bonus to stay in touch even more often  😘

                    Good luck with everything.

                    AKA Mrs G

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • D
                      Danny RnH
                      Raw and Unwashed
                      Joined:

                      @Madame Buttonfly Let's have that social catch up via Zoom in the coming days -Have you got enough "supplies"? 🙂

                      Danny
                      www.rivetandhide.com

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • Madame ButtonflyM
                        Madame Buttonfly
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        @Danny RnH - yes let's do that. Supplies are good, thanks - Giles bought 3 more bottles of white wine today, not exactly a business essential, but it definitely helps with the anxiety!

                        AKA Mrs G

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • GilesG
                          Giles
                          IHUK Crew
                          Joined:

                          Haraki, Alex and I have made the decision to cut about a dozen items from FW2020.  None of the UHF's will be cut, if that is any consolation.

                          Online sales are holding up well, but as each week goes by with us unable to ship to some/most retailers, our cash flow will get tighter and tighter as the weeks/months roll by (remember, we obviously could not stop any of the SS20 production).

                          Whilst we hated cancelling, actually think of it as postponing, any product, we need to reduce our outlying financial exposure in as prudent a fashion as possible…

                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • neph93N
                            neph93
                            見習いボス
                            Joined:

                            Contraction seems like a necessary measure at a time like this. Keep in the straight and narrow in order to survive for better days.

                            “Some of those that work forces
                            Are the same that burn crosses”

                            • Virginia Woolf
                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • ChapC
                              Chap
                              見習いボス
                              Joined:

                              @Giles:

                              Haraki, Alex and I have made the decision to cut about a dozen items from FW2020.  None of the UHF's will be cut, if that is any consolation.

                              Online sales are holding up well, but as each week goes by with us unable to ship to some/most retailers, our cash flow will get tighter and tighter as the weeks/months roll by (remember, we obviously could not stop any of the SS20 production).

                              Whilst we hated cancelling, actually think of it as postponing, any product, we need to reduce our outlying financial exposure in as prudent a fashion as possible…

                              Understandable… focus on core business and classic?

                              God has blessed you richly, so get down on your knees and thank him. Don’t forget the less fortunate or God will personally kick your ass. I’d love to do it for him, but I can’t be everywhere. Willie Nelson

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • GilesG
                                Giles
                                IHUK Crew
                                Joined:

                                Yes, we will focus on core and classic.

                                However, well over 50% of first-time customers buy a pair of jeans.  So we have to have lots of jeans.  Alex and I will order 100 pairs of XHS and XHSib in each of the following cuts, this weekend.

                                555
                                634
                                666
                                777
                                888

                                BUT, we also need to have other stuff to interest them in coming back for more, so we will not stop dreaming up new stuff…...

                                "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • S
                                  sabergirl
                                  見習いボス
                                  Joined:

                                  Prudent decision in a trying time. Is the 25oz SBG still being made?

                                  Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GilesG
                                    Giles
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    Yes…....But it is not technically SBG.......

                                    It's the same as the 14oz BB

                                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • S
                                      sabergirl
                                      見習いボス
                                      Joined:

                                      Thanks. Glad to hear it.

                                      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • louisboscoL
                                        louisbosco
                                        啓蒙家
                                        Joined:

                                        @Giles:

                                        Haraki, Alex and I have made the decision to cut about a dozen items from FW2020.  None of the UHF's will be cut, if that is any consolation.

                                        Online sales are holding up well, but as each week goes by with us unable to ship to some/most retailers, our cash flow will get tighter and tighter as the weeks/months roll by (remember, we obviously could not stop any of the SS20 production).

                                        Whilst we hated cancelling, actually think of it as postponing, any product, we need to reduce our outlying financial exposure in as prudent a fashion as possible…

                                        any chance we will know what's being cut? sorry, i don't exactly have a good memory (in general) of what's been posted of the F/W collection

                                        "Loyalty is a two way street. If i'm asking for it from you, then you're getting it from me."

                                        • Harvey Specter
                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • GilesG
                                          Giles
                                          IHUK Crew
                                          Joined:

                                          Nothing has really been posted, so you will never know…... 😃 😃 😃

                                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • jordanscollectedJ
                                            jordanscollected
                                            啓蒙家
                                            Joined:

                                            We may see some sample sales eventually though @Giles?

                                            world tours:
                                            888 Fat guy chocolate WT
                                            Mad Red x2
                                            Wabidashery

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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