Poppy & Peonies

Designer, entrepreneur and founder of Poppy & Peonies Natalie Dusome has had a passion for handbags and fashion for as long as she can remember. It was her love of design that took her from small town Ontario, to the big city to study fashion design, eventually working and designing handbags for some of the most iconic fashion brands in the world. But it was her love of family and where she grew up that led her to founding her own company.

Poppy & Peonies was born out of a quest for functional fashion — a need that Natalie experienced firsthand after the birth of her daughter, Poppy. The result? A brand that designs and creates affordable and versatile bags that suit all the events in a busy woman’s life. This beautiful design, a passionate founder and a business model that leveraged direct sales consultants and influencers hosting socials (think Tupperware parties) that allow working moms to shop from the comfort of their own home. Success came early and often.

The Covid Conundrum 

These socials were so successful that about half of Poppy & Peonies’ business came from likeminded working women gathering in-person to connect and find the right handbag for them. Of course, in the midst of a global pandemic, the ability to come together in close-quarters was made impossible. The team knew they needed to adjust their approach. And when they needed help doing it, they turned to Commerce Garage.

Commerce Garage quickly got into action and scaled Poppy & Peonies’ online business. Thanks to a blend of social media, search, and email advertising and marketing campaigns, Commerce Garage was able to quickly make up for revenue lost from in-person gatherings and scale overall revenue by more than 3x. November ’19 became Poppy & Peonies’ best sales month ever, with November ’20 on pace to smash that record.

Commerce Garage continues to find new audiences, produce new creative, and generate serious revenue for Poppy & Peonies all the while finding cost efficiencies at every turn.