With tariffs, geopolitical tensions, currency fluctuations and rising logistics costs, it is not an easy moment for an American fashion brand to expand internationally. Yet California lifestyle brand Jenni Kayne is doing just that — and creating a new playbook for independent brands going abroad for the current era.
The brand, which was founded in LA in 2003, and sells the kind of covetable California casual, neutral-toned cashmere, drapey wide leg pants and straw hat wardrobe one associates with Nancy Meyers films, but with prices less than $500 for most pieces, has launched international e-commerce across Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as of late April, after spending three years building a deliberate, low-risk expansion strategy. Rather than rushing into new markets, founder Jenni Kayne and president Kate Watters tested demand, studied international customer behavior, considered geopolitical sentiment, and invested in cross-border infrastructure before flipping the switch.
The result is a playbook of sorts for how brands can pursue global growth at a moment when many are reassessing it.
Make sure the customer exists
Although there had been demand for Jenni Kayne from international customers for some time, the brand decided to lean into it in 2023 after new customer acquisition in the US was becoming more challenging.
At the time, Canada was generating tens of thousands of sessions monthly (and ultimately accumulated more than $2 million in sales prior to launch). The UK showed similar momentum, with sustained traffic growth through late 2023 and 2024 and more than $600,000 in sales despite limited cross-border infrastructure. International customer service inquiries increased 39% year-on-year in 2025, reinforcing that demand extended beyond site traffic into purchase intent.
“The UK, Canada, and Australia were consistently our strongest sources of international engagement,” says Watters, explaining that customers in those markets were purchasing at full price and buying multiple wardrobing pieces, aligning with the brand’s strategy to build long-term, investment-driven purchasing rather than promotional demand.
The company used wholesale partnerships to test the waters. In Canada, Jenni Kayne partnered with Toronto retailer TNT. “I have friends all over the world, but specifically in Canada, that were always desperate to get my clothes,” Kayne adds. “And the Jenni Kayne woman is everywhere.“ In the UK, it opened a pop-up at Selfridges in October, which became a valuable test case.
Originally conceived as a temporary installation, the space evolved into “a mini-Jenni Kayne store“ that is still generating strong sell-through and multiple reorders, says Watters, adding that they were able to create an experience on the floor with custom floral arrangements and vintage furniture. “The biggest thing about Selfridges was bringing our world to life.”
