The brand once synonymous with bohemian prints, adventurous femininity and Byron Bay-born cool, Tigerlily has been reimagined with renewed clarity and purpose in time for its 25th anniversary and latest collection. Guided by general manager Prue Slocombe and creative director Simone Coates, Tigerlily’s rebirth is both nostalgic and forward-looking – revisiting its vibrant DNA while widening its appeal to a new generation of women. Inside Retail spoke with Slocombe to discuss the brand
brand’s evolution — from bringing back Tigerlily’s iconic prints and heritage storytelling to embracing social media and influencer-led campaigns that feel genuinely connected.
She also reflected on the delicate art of reviving an icon: balancing emotion and innovation, preserving legacy while ensuring Tigerlily once again feels “a little bit wild and adventurous”.
Inside Retail: How has Tigerlily’s positioning evolved since its rebirth under the Seafolly Group, and how is that coming through in this latest campaign?
Prue Slocombe: We’re positioning Tigerlily much the way it first entered the market – youthful, fun, vibrant, and deeply engaging. A brand that people could really engage with. It definitely leans towards a bohemian and adventurous spirit. This evolution is really about bringing Tigerlily back to where it started.
IR: How are you balancing that heritage storytelling while ensuring the brand feels relevant and modern?
PS: The word balance is perfect because that’s been both the fun and the challenge – continuing to satisfy our loyal customer base, who have always been the heart of Tigerlily, while bringing new customers in as we move forward. We’ve been doing that through fabric choice, materials and shapes. Each collection features our signature shapes alongside some newness that celebrate the prints and vibrancy Tigerlily is known for.
IR: Outside of prints and shapes, what other core elements of Tigerlily’s DNA remain central to the brand?
PS: It’s all in the detail. Tigerlily is a “more is more” brand – patchwork prints, crocheted trims, and hand-beaded details all combine to create something authentically Tigerlily. Tigerlily is a brand that lives in the detail.
IR: Your new campaign with Ellidy Pullin feels both personal and nostalgic. What role does influencer storytelling play as you redefine Tigerlily’s voice?
PS: Influencers are a key part of our strategy, but authenticity matters most. Ellidy felt like the perfect fit – she’s a natural storyteller, and her audience connects with her because she’s genuine. She lives by the beach, embraces that adventurous, playful spirit, and embodies everything we want Tigerlily to represent. When we first spoke with her, we were clear that if it didn’t feel natural, we wouldn’t force it. Luckily, the connection was effortless. I think influencer marketing is really important. But consumers are getting extremely savvy now, so they can really feel if it’s a sales job.
IR: How is Tigerlily leveraging visual storytelling to reconnect with both past and new audiences?
PS: The storytelling part for us is the emotive feel behind the imagery – we want that sense of freedom, adventure, and fun to shine through. We want the Tigerlily girl to feel a sense of adventure and freedom and definitely fun when you look at the imagery.
IR: You’ve brought back some archival prints for this latest collection. How does that tie into your broader brand narrative?
PS: If I’m being completely honest, bringing back the archival prints happened quite naturally. When we inherited the brand, we discovered an incredible archive of prints and designs. We’d be mad not to use them – they’re stunning and still relevant today. We also felt like it was such a nice connection to the brand because Tigerlily is 25 years old. Many brands have come and gone in that time, but one of the strengths of the brand is its unique prints and its identity in the market. We’re celebrating that rather than changing something that’s not broken. And there’s so many beautiful options to use – we just really wanted to lean into that.
IR: Switching gears, which social media platforms and content styles are driving the most engagement for you right now?
PS: At the moment, it’s still Instagram for us. Tiktok is definitely a platform that we’re seeing pick up more and more and particularly in that influencer space. I think that’s probably the next evolution for Tigerlily as a brand. Obviously, a lot of other brands are quite established on Tiktok, but it’s probably a little bit newer for us. So those are probably the two focus channels.
IR: Are you experimenting with new formats like reels or behind-the-scenes storytelling?
PS: Absolutely. As a team, that’s something that we’ve been talking more and more about. I think people want to see more than just the pretty campaign shoots at the moment. The more that the consumer can feel connected to the brand, I think the stronger that is for the brand. I think there’s a lot of opportunity in that space for us to really build and move into that space of storytelling. That narrative behind the brand is kind of really where it’s at at the moment.
IR: How are you measuring success now beyond metrics like reach or impressions?
PS: Sales is the obvious one but for us as a brand, what we’re looking for is that we’ve got a really beautiful and loyal customer base that are continuing to really support the brand. And for us, it’s looking at making sure that we protect that base whilst introducing the brand to new people. That awareness piece and growing our new first time customers is probably another measure of success that we’re looking for.
IR: Looking ahead, can we expect more collaborations or partnerships in 2026?
PS: Only if it feels right. Those partnerships are really valuable and can work, but only when they’re really done with true authenticity and connection. So it is not something that we’re actively pursuing. It’s more something that we’ll do when the partnership is right.
IR: Tigerlily has always embodied escapism and freedom. How will your marketing strategy build on that sense of connection and adventure going forward?
PS: We looked through one of the very first brand books and one of the core statements in there was ‘a little bit wild and adventurous’, and that just resonated so strongly with me and the brand. I think that what we all look to do in our future marketing and storytelling is try and hold that statement at the kind of core of what we’re doing. So any executions, kind of need to tick that box in terms of that ‘a little bit wild and adventurous’, because I just think that so perfectly sums up where we need to be going. And if our strategy can try and make sure that we’re always going back to that, I think we’ll stay on the money.