With tariffs, geopolitical tensions, currency fluctuations, and rising logistics costs, it’s a tough time for an American fashion brand to expand internationally. But California lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne is doing just that—and writing a new playbook for independent brands looking to go global today.
Founded in LA in 2003, the brand sells the kind of covetable California casual style you’d see in a Nancy Meyers film: neutral-toned cashmere, drapey wide-leg pants, and straw hats, with most pieces under $500. As of late April, it launched international e-commerce across Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, after spending three years building a careful, low-risk expansion strategy. Instead of rushing into new markets, founder Jenni Kayne and president Kate Watters tested demand, studied international customer behavior, considered geopolitical sentiment, and invested in cross-border infrastructure before flipping the switch.
The result is something like a playbook for how brands can pursue global growth at a time when many are rethinking it.
Make sure the customer exists
Although international customers had been asking for Jenni Kayne for a while, the brand decided to focus on this in 2023, when acquiring new customers in the US became harder.
At that point, Canada was already generating tens of thousands of monthly sessions (and eventually brought in over $2 million in sales before the launch). The UK showed similar momentum, with steady traffic growth through late 2023 and 2024 and more than $600,000 in sales, despite limited cross-border infrastructure. International customer service inquiries rose 39% year-on-year in 2025, confirming that demand went beyond site visits to actual purchase intent.
“The UK, Canada, and Australia were consistently our strongest sources of international engagement,” says Watters. She explains that customers in those markets bought at full price and purchased multiple wardrobe pieces, which fits the brand’s strategy of building long-term, investment-driven buying rather than relying on promotions.
The company used wholesale partnerships to test the waters. In Canada, Jenni Kayne partnered with Toronto retailer TNT. “I have friends all over the world, but especially in Canada, who were always desperate to get my clothes,” Kayne adds. “And the Jenni Kayne woman is everywhere.” In the UK, it opened a pop-up at Selfridges in October, which became a valuable test case.
Originally planned as a temporary setup, the space turned into “a mini-Jenni Kayne store” that’s still seeing strong sales and multiple reorders, says Watters. She notes they were able to create an in-store experience with custom floral arrangements and vintage furniture. “The biggest thing about Selfridges was bringing our world to life.”
The company hosted editor and influencer events around the launch, including an intimate lunch and community shopping event. These immersive experiences were designed to introduce customers not just to the product, but to the broader Jenni Kayne lifestyle.
Ultimately, the wholesale partnerships gave the brand valuable insights into product preferences, customer behavior, and market readiness before committing significant capital.
Address the geopolitical question
Of course, expanding internationally right now comes with challenges beyond just the product.
“Tariffs were part of the broader backdrop in 2025, especially as conversations around cross-border trade intensified,” says Watters. “Given that uncertainty, we made a conscious decision not to rush international expansion during a volatile moment. Instead, we focused on strengthening the core business and ensuring that when we entered new markets, we could do sofrom a position of operational and financial strength.
Like much of the apparel industry, Jenni Kayne did see higher import costs. But Watters says, “Our long-standing relationships with factories and the flexibility of our core product gave us room to adapt, mainly because our collection is timeless and works across seasons, rather than being trend-driven. At the same time, we improved our full-price sales and reduced our reliance on promotions compared to last year. That helped offset margin pressure and allowed us to grow thoughtfully instead of just reacting.”
Tone also mattered, since 2025 brought rising trade tensions and heated exchanges between the US and Canada. Kayne talked with friends about local feelings and got their support. Watters also believes the brand’s positioning offered some protection.
“Because our collection is so classic, and so many of our sales come from core styles, it felt less risky,” she says. “Those styles work everywhere, and they have lasting appeal.”
Build the infrastructure
A key decision was choosing Global-E as a cross-border e-commerce partner, after talking with several peer brands that have launched internationally, including Reformation. The platform handles local currency conversion, duties, taxes, and checkout complexity, while DHL Express manages shipping.
The rollout has been deliberately limited at first. For now, international customers can mainly shop apparel, while categories like furniture, candles, and jewelry are on hold due to greater logistical and regulatory challenges. Returns still go through the company’s Las Vegas distribution center.
“For a brand our size, it feels significant,” Watters says of the Global-E investment. “But it seemed worthwhile to streamline and outsource some of the heavy lifting.”
Slow down somewhere else
The international launch wasn’t a standalone effort. It was part of a broader strategic shift as Jenni Kayne takes a more measured approach to growth, stepping back from earlier plans to seek an IPO or make an acquisition, and instead focusing on sharpening brand positioning and gaining new customers.
“We’re focusing on healthy, sustainable growth,” Watters says. She adds that they’ve stopped using home as a growth driver and have zeroed in on apparel, with its more accessible price points, which now makes up about 85% of sales.
After opening roughly five stores a year in recent years—bringing the total to 32—the company has slowed to about two openings per year. That includes an experiential Malibu store opening in October, featuring an Oak Essentials Spa. (Oak Essentials is a spin-off brand under the Jenni Kayne umbrella, with its own funding and executive team.) This shift has freed up resources for digital investments, international expansion, and operational improvements.
They’ve also worked to elevate the brand by cutting back on promotions and showing the spring 2026 collection at New York Fashion Week in a presentation styled by Kate Young.
Customer retention has risen to 74% year-to-date, up from 67% a year ago, while full-price sales in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) business have increased by 20 percentage points year-over-year. “That shift reflects our continued focus on strengthening full-price demand and long-term brand health,” says Watters.
Make the product the hero
Perhaps the biggest question for an American brand entering new markets is whether its product will connect with customers abroad. Kayne believes the answer lies in the universality of the customer. “The idea of someone who really wants to live in her clothes, find her uniform, and have staples and timeless pieces that make her feel great—that translates across all countries,” she says.Instead of creating trend-driven collections for specific markets, the company has focused on the products that originally made the brand successful. The pleated skirt, Flynn cashmere sweater, Cocoon cardigan, and Demi pant have become early hits internationally. Notably, the pleated skirt first launched in fall 2022, showing how long-lasting the brand’s core items can be.
Building awareness
To support the launch, the company is considering investing a bit in paid ads on Meta in new markets, but so far, it has mainly promoted the launch through highly targeted brand experiences.
In Toronto, Jenni Kayne and brand ambassador Anna Porte hosted a dinner for 32 tastemakers, which generated an estimated three million social media impressions, with 84% of attendees posting on Instagram within 24 hours. This was followed by a public coffee event featuring custom cups, postcards, and matches. To keep the momentum going nationwide, the brand worked with 20 influencers in Vancouver and Montreal, adding an estimated two million more impressions. Advertising on posters and digital transit shelters in Toronto brought in an additional 26.6 million impressions.
To celebrate the UK launch, Kayne hosted a series of intimate events and brand moments across Somerset and London. These included partnership stays in Somerset, editorial content shoots around London, a VIP community dinner with editors, tastemakers, content creators, and industry leaders, as well as private press meetings and gifting experiences at The Ned.
The results
So far, the strategy seems to be working. International e-commerce revenue has grown 15% year-over-year and accelerated to nearly 26% during the spring, driven by growth in Canada and the UK. “We see this as an early sign of strong global demand and long-term growth potential,” Watters says.
Shortly after the international launch, the company got an unexpected boost: a 340% sales increase in the UK and a 250% rise in total UK revenue in the two weeks after Catherine, Princess of Wales, was seen wearing one of Jenni Kayne’s pleated skirts. The company had no role in that placement.
“That pleated skirt moment with Kate Middleton was so organic and perfectly timed for us,” Watters explains. He adds that it had a halo effect across the entire collection, with customers buying other core items, UK site traffic increasing by 40%, and average daily sessions rising over 200%.
Beyond e-commerce
For Kayne, international expansion may one day go beyond shipping products overseas. Part of the brand’s world-building strategy involves creating immersive lifestyle experiences, like the Jenni Kayne Ranch in Los Olivos, California, and the Jenni Kayne Farmhouse in New York’s Hudson Valley. These properties have been used to host editors, influencers, and customers.
While she doesn’t plan to buy and renovate homes internationally anytime soon, she hopes the company will open retail stores within the next two years.
Hospitality remains another long-term goal. The company has already designed interiors for projects like Te Arai Links in New Zealand. “I just need a partner,” Kayne says with a laugh.
Expanding the Jenni Kayne world was also the theme of her latest book with Rizzoli, Pacific Natural Everywhere. “We shot homes all over the world, and they all speak the same language,” says Kayne. “The idea is that you can have California living anywhere.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Jenni Kaynes approach to creating a global strategy for navigating an unpredictable world
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What does creating a global strategy for an unpredictable world actually mean
It means building a business plan that works no matter what happenswhether its a supply chain crisis a change in customer trends or a global recession Instead of trying to predict the future you focus on being flexible resilient and responsive
2 Who is Jenni Kayne and why is she an expert on this
Jenni Kayne is the founder and creative director of a luxury lifestyle brand known for its effortless timeless aesthetic She built her company by staying calm during market shifts focusing on quality over trends and creating a strong consistent brand identity that works across different countries and economic climates
3 Whats the main benefit of using a Jenni Kayneinspired strategy
The main benefit is stability You stop panicking about every market shift because your business is built to adapt You also build deeper customer loyalty because your brand feels steady and trustworthy even when the world feels chaotic
4 Is this strategy only for big fashion brands
No The core ideaslike focusing on quality simplifying your product line and building a loyal communitywork for any size business from a local boutique to a global software company
Advanced Questions
5 How does this strategy handle supply chain disruptions or geopolitical risks
Jenni Kaynes approach prioritizes slow fashion and local sourcing where possible She diversifies suppliers keeps inventory lean but reliable and builds longterm relationships with a few trusted partners rather than chasing the cheapest option This creates a buffer against sudden shocks
6 Can you give a specific example of how this strategy works in practice
During the pandemic when many brands struggled with overstock or shortages Jenni Kayne didnt launch a huge sale or rush new products Instead they focused on their core cashmere sweaters and home goods communicated calmly with customers and leaned into their directtoconsumer model This kept their brand perception high and their business stable
7 What are the biggest mistakes companies make when trying to implement this
The biggest mistake is trying to be everything to everyone Jenni Kaynes strategy relies on