The Lede Company has acquired London-based fashion and lifestyle agency Aisle 8,
Aisle 8 founder Lauren Winslade will join as President of Brand for The Lede Company London, bringing her full team of 21 into the firm. Matthew Avento will continue to oversee the Talent and Strategic Communications divisions at the firm’s London office.
Founded in 2014 and based in Farringdon, London, Aisle 8’s current roster includes MERIT, Ferrari, Astrid & Miyu, Our Place, Jigsaw, Dr Dennis Gross, Wonderskin, Bicester Village, Jo Loves, and Ruggable, and UK launch work for Away, Vuori, Kulfi, and Le Monde Gourmand.
The agency’s services include brand development, media relations, influencer and talent partnerships, social strategy, and strategic counsel across fashion, beauty, and consumer lifestyle sectors. All of these services will be absorbed into Lede’s operations.
Winslade’s career spans two decades across agency, in-house, and global corporate roles. She began at luxury agency Aurelia PR working on Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Cîroc Vodka, before moving to Ketchum and later Hill & Knowlton, where she led fashion and beauty strategy for clients including Intel and P&G. In 2007, she joined fashion e-tailer my-wardrobe.com, building the company’s global PR function across the UK, US, Australia, Scandinavia, and the Middle East. She was recruited by Harrods in 2012 to head PR & Communications, where she led a 20-person team shaping the store’s omni-channel presence. She launched Aisle 8 in 2014.
“We are so excited to add Lauren, a brilliant brand builder, and her incredible Aisle 8 team to The Lede Company London,” Christine Su, Co-CEO of The Lede Company, said in a statement. “With a rare instinct for turning brands into cultural movements, Lauren has built one of London’s most respected communications agencies. The team’s deep relationships across UK media and their expertise in everyday luxury will both help us better serve our clients and further expand our presence internationally.”
Winslade added: “When I launched Aisle 8 in 2014, I saw a gap in the market for an agency built on relationships, commercial focus and a digital-first approach to communications. A decade on, joining Lede brings the scale, talent, expertise, and ambition to take that vision even further. More than an acquisition, this is an opportunity to build something bigger for our clients and our people, and I’m thrilled to be starting this next chapter together.”