The debut collection of Molly-Mae Hague’s brand Maebe sold out in 24 minutes. This follows weeks of hype and speculation, led by the influencer’s community rather than being the result of a dedicated campaign.
There is a clear consumer desire for a Molly-Mae label and the first line reflects her much-copied aesthetic. But does it have potential to be a standout brand in its own right? CORQ’s editors share their initial reviews.
Maebe’s first collection is Molly-Mae merchandise
Should creator collections be treated like merch, as opposed to the foundations of a fashion empire? This is not a criticism of Maebe and, instead might be a reflection of first collections generally, which are treated differently from the rest of a designer’s oeuvre. Look at the Olsen twins’ first drop for their cult-label The Row in 2006, a seven-piece line that included a T-shirt, a pair of cotton sateen leggings, and a cashmere wool tank dress. Barneys New York bought the entire thing. Phoebe Philo’s much-anticipated first solo collection sold out within hours in October last year – but most of the buys will have been seen as collectables rather than wearables. Labels take time to bed in, mature and flourish. Yes, Molly-Mae Hague sold out her debut in 24 minutes but only time will tell whether it’s fandom or fashion.
– Emilie McMeekan, features director for CORQ.
@maebestore Maebe drop 1 launching tomorrow 7:00 PM GMT. Who’s got the Ultimate Blazer on their wishlist? #maebe #maebestore #fyp
Maebe’s success is impressive – but where are the ad labels?
Maebe’s USP is without a doubt Hague herself, which she is well aware of. As the founder of the brand, of course she is going to be wearing Maebe clothing. The problem is that she doesn’t disclose her ties to the brand in her posts, which is against ASA regulations. This landed Grace Beverley, another prominent influencer founder, in trouble recently after the ASA banned six of the creator’s posts about her brand TALA. Beverley argued she was synonymous with her brands, but the ASA disagreed. Hague should learn from Beverley’s mistake and start labelling her content correctly, or face a potential regulatory backlash that could be a PR disaster.
– Dina Zubi, trends analyst for CORQ.
@mollymaehague @Maebe Store 29.09.24 #maebe#maebestore#fyp
There is nothing unique in Maebe’s first drop – all of these designs are available elsewhere
Despite claiming to have spent three years on her debut fashion line, Hague’s collection appears to be reactive to current fashion trends. This is most emphasised with her “Contour Popper Top” (priced at £50) which online users have been quick to point out is a prolific fashion piece already, and available from fast fashion outlets including TikTok Shop and Shein – for a quarter of the price. TikToker Alexandra Zara shared a video reviewing the price points of Maebe’s launch collection, which has had more than 1M views in 24 hours. In the video, Zara discusses how she had wrongly assumed the brand would be priced to accommodate Hague’s younger female audience. Being similar to existing, low-cost viral pieces is likely to catalyse this kind of commentary and something the brand should consider before its second collection.
– Natalia Reppas, research editor for CORQ.
@alexzarax Maebe store pricing #maebe #maebestore #mollymaehague #mollymae @Maebe
Maebe needs to work on brand identity and transparency
Maybe, just maybe, Hague didn’t need to release a clothing brand. Sure, it makes sense for her to launch a label from a commercial perspective but while the garments do embrace her aesthetic, they’re not reinventing the wheel. They’re similar to what a consumer could find at Zara, maybe even COS or Mango – the only difference is that these are created by Hague. Due to this – not to mention the age and demographics of the influencer’s audience – people are mad about the cost of the clothing range.
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Maebe’s prices range from £35 for a white baby T-shirt to £140 for an oversized blazer, but it seems people were expecting PrettyLittleThing price points. Costing should be down to quality, but there is little and vague information about the production of Maebe’s clothing, other than it is created in Turkey and China with adherence to “strict standards”.
Still, consumers shouldn’t be surprised by the higher price point – Maebe’s marketing is focused on elevated, more luxurious basics. Additionally, Hague’s daily wardrobe combines high street and luxury and her brand’s pricing reflects this. She doesn’t want to be tied to fast fashion brands anymore – she wants to be the next Odd Muse or SLA The Label. The question is, does she have the audience to make this vision real in the long term.
– Caroline Edwards, trends analyst for CORQ.
CORQ forecast: Predictions for Molly-Mae Hague’s new brand Maebe across market, product and aesthetic