1. What’s the quick origin story of your brand, and what makes your product or positioning genuinely different from other options in your niche?

Gon: Portraits de Famille was born from my desire to bridge the worlds of fashion and art, transforming garments into wearable pieces of collectible art. From the start, we’ve collaborated with distinct artists to create limited-edition capsule collections, each telling a unique story and preserving their creative vision. What truly sets us apart is our Collector’s Club, which is a gamified drop platform that gives true collectors fair and transparent access to our most limited-edition pieces, fostering a genuine sense of community and provenance. Unlike conventional fashion brands, we focus on artistic narrative, Mediterranean elegance and true exclusivity, making every piece a living canvas and a cultural artifact.

2. Since launch, what have been the 1–2 real turning points for your brand-specific decisions, pivots, or experiments that noticeably changed your growth or profitability-and what did you learn from them?

Gon: One major turning point for Portraits de Famille was the launch of the Collector’s Club. By shifting from traditional product drops to a fair and transparent gamified drop platform for our most limited-edition pieces, we deepened engagement with true collectors and also increased repeat purchases by building a stronger sense of community. Another pivotal decision was moving from in-house capsule collections to collaborating directly with distinct artists. This elevated the brand’s narrative, brought fresh creative energy and allowed us to reach new audiences who value artistry and provenance. Both decisions really taught me that growth comes from focussing on what makes us truly unique as a brand and doubling down on it instead of just following industry norms.

3. Which 2-3 channels drive most of your revenue right now (for example SEO, paid social, email, marketplaces, influencers), and what have you learned about making those channels work in your category?

Gon: Right now, our top revenue drivers are paid social, email and influencer collaborations. Paid social allows us to target and retarget true collectors with storytelling-driven campaigns, but I’ve learned that creative quality and narrative depth are key here as generic ads don’t convert in our category that much. Email is essential for nurturing our Collector’s Club community, because we offer there exclusive access for our most limited-edition drops, which then ultimately drives repeat purchases. Influencer collaborations work best when we partner with voices who genuinely appreciate wearable art and limited editions in form of collectibles, as authenticity is critical for building trust and engagement in the collectible fashion space.

4. How are you thinking about search in 2025 – Google, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and other discovery platforms? What, if anything, have you changed in your content or site to stay visible as AI search grows?

Gon: As AI-driven search and discovery platforms like ChatGPT become more influential, I’m rethinking how we as a brand have to both create and structure content. Beyond traditional Google SEO, we’re focusing on producing rich, narrative-driven content that answers real questions art-fashion enthusiasts and collectors might ask, whether that’s about artist collaborations, provenance or the meaning behind each capsule and design. We’ve started optimizing our website for conversational queries and ensuring our product and story pages are clear, detailed and easy for AI to interpret.

We’re also experimenting with structured data and FAQ sections to make our content more accessible to AI assistants. The goal is to be discoverable through keywords, authentic stories and expertise that set our brand apart. AI search is really the opportunity of a lifetime as everyone is slowly shifting from simply googling something to using AI as their personal assistant.

5. What do you do to turn first‑time buyers into repeat customers and advocates? Are there specific experiences, content, or community touches that work especially well for you?

Gon: Turning first-time buyers into repeat customers and advocates is all about creating a memorable, meaningful experience that goes beyond the transaction of buying an item. At Portraits de Famille, we focus on storytelling and community from the very first touchpoint. Every piece includes a provenance story detailing the artist’s story and the inspiration behind each design, making each garment feel like a collectible with real cultural value.

We invite new customers to join our Collector’s Club, where they get exclusive access to our most limited-edition pieces. This cultural hub fosters a sense of belonging and true exclusivity, since customers aren’t just buying a product, they’re joining a community that values art, collectibles and connection.

Personalized follow-ups, artist interviews and transparent updates about upcoming capsules keep our audience engaged between purchases. We’ve found that when customers feel part of the creative journey and see the brand’s commitment to authenticity and collaboration, they naturally become advocates by sharing their stories and inviting others to join our “famille”.

6. If you had to write a short playbook for an ecommerce founder one stage behind you, what would you double down on over the next 12 months – and what would you stop doing entirely?

Gon: I’d double down on identifying your single biggest business constraint and attack it with everything you have. Don’t get distracted by a dozen small problems, find the one bottleneck that’s holding you back and focus relentlessly on solving it.

Next, invest deeply in building community. For us, that meant gamifying the user experience with the Collector’s Club and creating opportunities for real-life connection through in-person events. People are craving genuine interaction and belonging more than ever, so find ways to make your brand a hub for meaningful engagement and not just another online store.

Stay true to your brand DNA. Consistency in visuals, messaging and content is what makes your brand recognizable and memorable. Don’t dilute your identity by chasing every trend. Instead, play the long game and keep preaching what makes you unique.

What I’d stop doing entirely is following every new trend or pivoting your brand voice just to fit in. That’s the fastest way to losing your identity and blending into the noise. Focus on what truly sets you apart and build your brand around that, even if it means being polarizing. In the end, loyalty and recognition come from clarity, consistency and the courage to double down on what makes you different.