Starting a new business is never easy. After launching luxury slipper brand Shaffay in 2021, founder Anna Elshafei was very aware that she wouldn’t be able to do everything herself.
Realising marketing the brand would be key to its success, she teamed up with Ascendant Content, a small agency also founded in 2021.
Ascendant specialises in the areas of SEO, content and copywriting, website design and hosting, email marketing, Facebook, Google Ads and organic social media. Improving the SEO of the website and moving Shaffay up the Google page rankings has made a crucial difference and really helped with sales for the business.
Anna Elshafei explains: “I would thoroughly recommend engaging the services of marketing experts. Pete at Ascendant Content is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. He is very good at explaining technical matters to non-technical people like myself! In a short space of time he has helped my brand make significant progress.”
Since Anna Elshafei launched her brand, it’s been a whirlwind. The brand recently launching its Velvet Jewel Collection at this year’s House & Garden Spirit of Christmas Fair.
The Velvet Jewel Collection includes three unique patterns and colourways, each handmade in velvet with a richly coloured faux fur lining. The footbed is contoured for extra comfort and support. This collection is slightly wider fitting than the original Signature Collection and the flexible rubber soles even more non-slip than before.
The Velvet Jewel Collection retains the same ergonomic shape to ensure that they are easy to slip on and off but stay firmly on your feet.
On the launch of the brand’s new collection, Anna Elshafei says: “Our original Signature Collection is a range of lovely, understated colours in soft nappa leather. I wanted our new range to be equally lovely but quite different. We retained our classic Shaffay slipper shape but, this time, I wanted rich, jewel colours with dense, interesting patterns in velvet to give a pretty sheen.
“I am really delighted with the Velvet Jewel Collection. I think they are beautiful. Definitely statement slippers!”
The original Signature Collection was named after Anna’s favourite cities – Cairo, Shanghai, Paris and London.
As Shaffay has a growing group of fans - Slipper Souls - they helped to name the new collection. The three cities picked were chosen as they epitomise the colours and patterns of the new slippers:
- San Francisco - An intense and bright combination of dark blue and turquoise in a striking paisley-style design.
- Istanbul - Like the city they are named after, this slipper is an exotic and vibrant combination of deep pink and grape in a geometric flower design.
- Copenhagen - A delicate chrysanthemum design in a glamorous combination of gold and cream.
In addition to the Velvet Jewel Collection, Shaffay is now preparing to introduce a collection of suede slippers too. They will retain the clean lines of Shaffay’s classic mule shape and come in a choice of colours each with a soft, warm faux fur lining and a flexible, non-slip rubber sole.