Homegrown womenswear label Love, Bonito comes of age with a new brand identity
CEO Dione Song shares more about the company’s fresh look, assortment strategy and continued dedication to being the go-to destination for Asian women.
Led by CEO Dione Song (left) and co-founder Rachel Lim, Love, Bonito aims to represent Asian women globally with a refreshed brand look.
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Since its founding in 2010, Love, Bonito has risen to become one of Singapore’s most prominent success stories in the womenswear arena. With a strong online presence in key global markets, including the United States, alongside more than 20 brick-and-mortar stores in Asia Pacific, the brand has demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth in a competitive landscape.
Despite its robust showing, Ms Dione Song, CEO of Love, Bonito, shared that the brand is just getting started. The label is embarking on a bold, new era with a brand refresh that has been a year in the making. Citing its consistent double-digit year-on-year growth since 2020 as a promising indicator, Ms Song said that the company is rolling out a refined assortment strategy and new product lines as part of the exercise.
SPOTTING A FRESH NEW LOOK
To kickstart a new chapter, Love, Bonito is refining its visual identity to mirror the maturity and sophistication of the label and its audience. In addition to a sleek, new logo, it has expanded its main colour palette beyond the iconic peach shade to include custom hues Bold Brown, Cool Pink and Heart Red. The latter was selected for its significance in many Asian cultures and to represent the boldness of everyday Asian women.
Love, Bonito’s online platform and physical stores are also slated to undergo a design revamp, merging contemporary flair with nods to the brand’s Asian heritage, resulting in spaces that are both modern and culturally rich in look and feel.
Ms Song noted that the label’s new tagline – “Ready-to-live, not just ready-to-wear” – encapsulates its commitment to producing functional, versatile and well-made garments that women can don round the clock while “being unabashedly themselves”.
This is reflected in empathetic design details such as an extra button or elastic waistband on skirts to accommodate bloated days, pockets on dresses for storing essentials and dual zips on blouses for convenient nursing access. Love, Bonito’s product line is further characterised by the incorporation of crease-minimising fabrics and padded busts for increased comfort.
“It’s not just about looking good in mirror selfies. Our offerings are crafted to complement the multifaceted aspects of women’s lives – whether they’re navigating the workday, rounding up the kids after work or having a girls’ night out,” said Ms Song.
A STREAMLINED COLLECTION
As part of the brand refresh, Love, Bonito is strategically streamlining its products to align with the shifting economic landscape, which has dampened consumer spending and prompted organisations worldwide to double down on efficiency.
By reducing the production of new styles by 60 per cent, the brand leverages economies of scale as well as optimises operations and inventory management to pave the way for sustained growth. “This approach enables us to invest more in the design thinking and fabrication of each garment,” said Ms Song.
Additionally, by harnessing customer data and insights derived from artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms, the brand gains a deeper understanding of women’s preferences, enabling it to deliver what they desire.
Today, the label has organised its products into three key lines: Signatures, Staples and capsule collections. Signatures are classic and timeless pieces that are distinctly Love, Bonito – modern, sophisticated and feminine looks offered at accessible price points. Staples, launching in April, are versatile wardrobe builders, featuring upgraded versions of the brand’s most popular styles. Finally, capsule collections represent Love, Bonito’s take on seasonal trends, with special releases designed for occasions such as Chinese New Year and Christmas.
UPLIFTING ASIAN WOMEN
Ms Song believes that its new identity will further drive home Love, Bonito’s dedication to crafting lines tailored for Asian women, a cornerstone of the company’s mission since its inception.
The campaign for its brand refresh showcases a diverse line-up of prominent Asian women – from Hollywood actress Arden Cho and award-winning Malaysian musician Yuna to writer and sexual assault survivor Chanel Miller, alongside mother-daughter duo Gym Tan and Mya Miller. Ms Song shared that she was drawn to them for their powerful stories, unique personal styles and ability to challenge Asian women stereotypes in their respective fields.
The company’s fresh direction includes bolstering its multipronged approach to championing women in Asia. This includes backing women entrepreneurs by investing in ventures led by women that resonate with its values, such as Singaporean natural healthcare start-up Moom. In 2022, Love, Bonito acquired Singaporean activewear label butter and launched a new activewear line, cheak.
Said Ms Song: “Love, Bonito is more than just a womenswear brand. We are in the business of empowering Asian women and it’s time to take this to the next level.”
Love, Bonito’s Signatures collection is available on its website and all stores globally. Visit its pop-up store at 4 Jiak Chuan Road between Mar 15 and 24.
