GGP - Retailvisory - Building steady: Varley’s path from wholesale to retail

Growing depth before scale

In its early years, Lara and Ben introduced the brand to new audiences through trusted wholesale partners. These partnerships offered invaluable feedback, helping the team develop new product ideas, learn from diverse markets, and evolve without overextending. Through this process, Varley’s founders gained a deep understanding of what its customers desired and how best to deliver that while scaling the brand.

Ben, the company’s CEO, describes how this slow start informed their eventual expansion, “We grew up in wholesale. It’s where we learned what resonated and what didn’t. Those partners gave us reach and honest feedback, helping us refine both product and pace. So, when we began thinking about retail, it came from readiness, not urgency.” By focusing on how their products performed at wholesale retailers, Lara and Ben were able to solidify the design, quality, and aesthetic the brand would become known for.

Design that endures, not chases trends

Varley’s design philosophy lives at the intersection of performance and refinement. Its collections focus on versatility, offering pieces that move easily from workout to errands to a casual dinner. What began as an activewear label now encompasses a complete wardrobe for modern women, including knitwear, outerwear, and refined everyday essentials. Lara’s obsession with how clothes move, the feedback the brand received from wholesale retail, and a desire to do better are at the heart of the brand. Ben shares this sentiment, stating, “We design for longevity. Fabric, fit, and function come first, and we build in versatility so pieces work across a woman’s day. Customer feedback and retention keep us honest.”

Varley blends European sophistication with a relaxed West Coast spirit. That mix of refinement and ease defines the brand’s aesthetic and helps it feel relevant across seasons and lifestyles. The result is a sense of California cool and UK bravado that customers return to again and again.

Retail, launched at the right time

The company’s move into retail has been thoughtful and measured, with the same attention to detail and consideration the brand has for its clothes. Each store is designed in collaboration with HÁM Interiors, an influential interior design firm founded in England, reflecting the core values of consideration, elevation, and refined warmth.

When asked about the 2025 opening of Varley’s Oakbrook Center store, Ben explained that “Oakbrook [Center] felt right. It reflects our pace, our sense of elevation, and our connection to community.”

The Oakbrook Center store brings those qualities to life while expanding the brand’s presence in the United States. Rather than opening quickly in multiple markets, Varley carefully chooses environments where it can build meaningful relationships and long-term performance. As one of the region’s most-visited retail destinations, Oakbrook Center offers a fitting stage for Varley’s introduction to the Midwest.

Retail as a living brand statement

Refined, posh, and welcoming, Varley’s stores are not just points of sale; they express how the brand thinks and what it values. HÁM Interiors ensured that materials, lighting, layout, and service all work together to create a sense of comfort and ease. Each space reflects the quiet confidence and effortless spirit that defines Varley’s collections, combining sophistication with warmth in a way that feels natural and familiar. Lara wants customers to feel at home when they enter, stating that “Our stores are living expressions of the brand, considered materials, warm light, space to breathe. We want you to feel at home the moment you step in; service and environment working quietly in tandem.” That intention comes through in every detail and helps each store serve as a true reflection of the brand.

Looking forward

Varley’s story is one of discipline and timing. Its wholesale roots provided a strong foundation for growth and its move into physical retail has been shaped by readiness rather than urgency, leading to stable expansion. That same discipline applies to how the company produces its clothes. Varley focuses on quality over volume, designing pieces meant to last and partnering with suppliers who meet global standards — and, more importantly, the standard that their customers have come to expect from the brand. This consistency has become part of Varley’s identity, whether it’s in how the brand grows, how the stores are curated and operated, or in the apparel it creates.

For brands of any size, Varley’s story is a reminder to grow with care, open stores when the time is right, and let each step build on what already works. This can seem counterintuitive to today’s fast-moving culture of viral products, oversaturated online stores, and endless social media sales pitches. Brands today often feel pressured to grow and expand in search of overnight success. However, as Varley demonstrates, success never happens overnight. Brand growth takes focus and reflection, trial and error, and above all, patience and passion. Lara reinforces this idea by noting, “Success, for us, is steady and thoughtful growth — driven by quality in all we do and by looking after one another. The rest follows naturally.” In short, you can’t rush success.

Last updated: June 8, 2026