#Kjerstin Skorge

[collageofnudes]

Kjerstin Skorge

part 3

[ultibeauty]

Kj Skorge/Kjerstin Skorge

[irresistible--seduction]

KJ Skorge

[jeramymobley]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens and tweens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the youthful scrolling masses in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop a cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix that manage

[davisgordonc]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the millennial (and younger) scrolling craze in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop their cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix tha

from WordPress http://ift.tt/2tCo4zV via IFTTT

[montydozier]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the millennial (and younger) scrolling craze in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop their cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix tha

from WordPress https://montydozier.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/how-brandy-melville-built-a-cult-following-on-instagram/ via IFTTT

[markjsousa]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the millennial (and younger) scrolling craze in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop their cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix tha

[glenmenlow]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the millennial (and younger) scrolling craze in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop their cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix tha

from WordPress https://glenmenlow.wordpress.com/2017/07/03/how-brandy-melville-built-a-cult-following-on-instagram/ via IFTTT

[joejstrickl]

How Brandy Melville Built a Cult Following on Instagram

The fact that teens spend their time on Instagram is hardly newsworthy, but tween-and-teen magnet Brandy Melville has managed to engage and monetize the millennial (and younger) scrolling craze in order to build a thriving retail brand. In fact, the beachswept, casual apparel brand has relied solely on informal Instagram advertising and word of mouth in order to develop their cult following, and they’re clearly doing something right.

#brandyusa

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jul 2, 2017 at 7:01am PDT

Brandy Melville, which launched in the US in 2009 and also operates in the UK and Germany, has about 20 locations nationwide, and prides itself on selling basic, LA-inspired clothing for girls (think cotton tank tops, slouchy sweaters and distressed denim shorts). So some fans may be surprised to learn that the brand actually originated in Italy. Brandy Melville may seem like an all-American brand—but its Italian founders know how to know their customers to a tee.

#brandyusa Aleena USA top, Tilden pants / Jenny tube top, Juliette denim skirt / Ashlyn top / Karla dress / Margaret top.

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 23, 2017 at 4:39pm PDT

In fact, the California-style brand, known as @BrandyMelvilleUSA (also @BrandyMelvilleUK and @BrandyGermany) on Instagram, uses a group of “Brandy Girls” (Brandy Ambassadors, you might call them) across its Instagram feeds, showcasing images of young, carefree girls running on the beach or at a café, socializing with friends and drinking coffee in their photogenic Brandy Melville outfits. Followers seem to love the image of the typical “Brandy Girl” just as much as they love the brand itself.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 24, 2017 at 8:37am PDT

You may be asking yourself, “What is this company really doing differently than other brands aside from actively posting on social media?” The answer to the Brandy marketing brilliance actually lies in the girls used in their photos. Although many of the “Brandy Girls” are professional models, some are members of the brand’s Product Research department, which is key to Brandy’s thriving business—they really know their teen (and tween) customers.

#brandygerman #brandymelville

A post shared by Brandy Melville Germany (@brandygermany) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:53am PST

“Product research is made up of all teenage girls,” Kjerstin Skorge, a brand ambassador from Malibu, explained to Racked. “There’s about 20 of us.”

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 14, 2017 at 10:56am PDT

Brandy Melville has hired a group of teenage girls to give feedback and brainstorm new concepts for the brand, and many of these girls are featured on the company’s Instagram account as well. These girls are mostly in high school, and executives at the company value their input. After all, these girls are the brand’s exact target market, so their opinions matter, even if parents just see a sea of stripes and pale pastels—and a nautical red, white and blue for 4th of July.

#brandyuk

A post shared by Brandy Melville Uk (@brandymelvilleuk) on Jun 9, 2017 at 3:38am PDT

#brandyusa The grand opening of our new Seattle location is today at 10am in University Village! See you there!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:26am PDT

“Let’s say there’s a cut of a T-shirt that’s doing really well, they’ll ask our opinion on it. Do we like it? Should we make more? If so, what colors? Should we do long-sleeve? Short-sleeve? Cropped? Not cropped? Would this T-shirt be better in this material? There’s all kinds of things that we get asked, and we give our honest opinion. We also come up with ideas and images that we think would sell well,” Kjerstin continued.

#brandyusa Hey Bali, Our location in Kuta beach walk is opening today at 10am Come check it out!!

A post shared by Brandy Melville (@brandymelvilleusa) on Jun 17, 2017 at 6:28pm PDT

With the brands’ sales 25 percent higher since 2014, when the company had sales of about $125 million, it seems that Brandy Melville has been able to tap into their demographic in an immersive way that other companies have yet to figure out. Retail may be an age-old business, but the key to success in the industry’s new digital environment is anything but traditional.

The brand has gotten some flack in the past about their controversial “one size fits all” sizing model, but the 3.9 million Instagram followers just on its US feed don’t seem to mind.

As for its successful brick-and-mortar stores, known for their sticker- and patch-covered walls, as Racked has noted, “Inside, the store itself looks Instagram-filtered, all bleached wood and muted color palette.” Add to that a workforce that looks they stepped out of their Instagram feel, and a breezy attitude that mixes made-to-look-vintage rock tees with preppy basics, and it’s a retail mix tha