10 Fashion Accessories Business Success Stories [2024]
If you love fashion and clothing design, you may want to start a fashion accessories business. As a fashion accessories consultant, you help clients develop and adapt personal and professional styles.
Fashion accessories are decorative items that supplement one’s outfit. They include jewelry, gloves, belts, scarves, watches, sunglasses, bow ties, leggings, suspenders, and tights. To work as a professional stylist, collaborate with clients to understand their needs, and tailor styles and aesthetics to each individual’s preferences.
In this list, you'll find real-world fashion accessories business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a fashion accessories business that makes money.
1. Woodies ($2.28M/year)
Cory had previously launched a semi-successful watch brand. Due to his watch business, he traveled a couple of times to China, and after one of the trips, he came back with the idea for wood sunglasses. Wood sunglasses seemed awesome so Cody tried to jump on them early. He was able to sell 8,000 glasses in a week with a launch on Groupon.
How much money it makes: $2.28M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 1
Woodies, a wood sunglasses brand founded by Cory Stout, reached over $3.5M in revenue in 2018, despite starting with only $15K from a failed business and has succeeded through Amazon sales, spending $50K monthly on PPC and keeping ACOS at 30%.
2. Tradlands ($1.61M/year)
and through collaborations with other brands and influencers. We also prioritize customer service and building relationships with our customers, which has resulted in a high customer retention rate and word-of-mouth referrals. Additionally, we regularly engage with our audience on social media and use targeted ads to reach new customers.
How much money it makes: $1.61M/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
How many people on the team: 4
This case study showcases the journey of Tradlands, a women's clothing brand generating $134k in monthly revenue, which was started with just $15k, and grew through email marketing, Instagram, and influencer collaborations.
3. Country Outfitter ($1.2M/year)
John James, CEO of Engine, started his previous business, Acumen Brands, during the 2009 financial crisis. With over a decade of ecommerce experience, James and his team built multiple online stores, including Country Outfitter, which grew to become a $100 million retailer of cowboy boots within six months, despite neither founder owning a pair themselves. Using innovative marketing strategies, such as Facebook giveaways and viral loops, Country Outfitter acquired 9 million fans and 11 million email subscribers, resulting in an 8% conversion rate and $100 million annual revenue run rate.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How many people on the team: 20
Former Acumen Brands CEO shares how he acquired nine million Facebook fans in 90 days for one of his brands, leveraged that success to raise $100 million in venture capital, and ultimately failed spectacularly after being acquired, highlighting the importance for ecommerce companies to focus on direct relationships with customers.
4. Leze Apparel Inc. ($540K/year)
out of debt. In just 6 months, we have managed to turn our business around and are projected to generate 3 times more revenue than in 2019. We have experienced steady growth at a rate of 30% every month and have successfully attracted a community of women who resonate with our mission of comfortable and sustainable workwear.
How much money it makes: $540K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
This case study features LEZE the Label, a sustainable workwear brand that experienced 30% month-over-month growth and eliminated $180,000 in production debt, sharing insights on their crowdfunding strategy, customer-centric approach, and partnerships.
5. Fifth & Ninth ($300K/year)
Mark Mesrobian, the founder of Complete Sourcing Solutions (CSS), came up with the idea for his business after being fired from a corporate job. He leveraged his relationships in the US and China to import products from Asia for other companies. Eventually, he transitioned to creating his own brands, with the flagship brand being Fifth & Ninth, a direct-to-consumer mobile and lifestyle accessory site. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mesrobian pivoted his business to meet the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) by repurposing one of his original sites, Symtek.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 5
Complete Sourcing Solutions pivoted to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking their original site from $0 to over $100K in less than a month, leveraging their experience in sourcing and relationships in the US and China.
6. Kashgar ($300K/year)
through a very tough year of barely breaking even, and in 2010, we made the decision to downsize to one store and focus on online sales. This was a risky move, but it turned out to be the right decision. Today, Kashgar is thriving as an online business, with monthly revenues of $25,000 and a loyal customer base. The future looks bright as we continue to source unique and exotic goods from around the world and connect with customers who appreciate the beauty and history behind our products.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Kashgar is a successful family business that began with a love of travel and now exclusively sells unique goods sourced from over twenty different countries online, grossing an average of $25,000 a month.
7. Foxly Handmade ($72K/year)
Jen, the founder of FOXLY Handmade, started her business by experimenting with various handmade bag styles before realizing the potential of zipper pouches. She simplified her product line and partnered with artists to create illustrations for the pouches, allowing her to scale the business and expand her brand's reach. Transitioning to eCommerce sales in 2019 proved successful, and Jen anticipates tripling last year's sales by the end of this year.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 0
Foxly Handmade, a handmade bag company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, pivoted to focus on e-commerce sales and scaled their business to anticipate tripling last year's revenue, which was made possible by data analysis to focus on their standout product.
8. mazi + zo ($60K/year)
Lizzy Klein, founder of mazi + zo, started her business after realizing there was a lack of high-quality and modern jewelry options for sorority women. After developing a versatile and stylish collection of jewelry, she launched her website in June 2019 and quickly gained traction, attracting customers beyond just sororities. Today, mazi + zo offers a range of symbol necklaces, earrings, and more, with their Double Star Choker Necklace being their best-selling item.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 1
Mazi + Zo offers high-quality and modern jewelry for sorority sisters and other women, developed by founder Lizzy Klein after discovering a lack of stylish options in the market, and is now expanding into the broader market with organic social media being the most successful channel.
9. Rainier Watch ($23.8K/year)
David, a full-time Front End Developer, came up with the idea for his business, Rainier Watch, when he realized there was no online platform to track the visibility of Mount Rainier, a beloved mountain in the Greater Seattle area. He started a Twitter account to post daily updates on the mountain's visibility, which gained a following. Eventually, he decided to turn it into a business by selling stickers and expanding the product line to include shirts, hats, and more.
How much money it makes: $23.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
How many people on the team: 0
Rainier Watch is an outdoor-inspired apparel brand that grew from selling stickers to generating several thousand dollars in sales each month through its custom Woocommerce website, as a community-driven business for quality goods inspired by mountains, donating to organizations protecting and supporting the National Parks upon purchase.
10. Boystrous ($1.8K/year)
Anastasia Osindero, a designer, launched her menswear brand, Boystrous, during the COVID-19 lockdown in August 2020. Inspired by her partner's desire for a consistent men's clothing store, she created graphic t-shirts using her design skills and printed them at home. With popular designs and the support of influencers such as Josh Denzel, Boystrous quickly gained attention and success.
How much money it makes: $1.8K/year
How much did it cost to start: $126
How many people on the team: 0
Boystrous is a rising menswear brand launched during the pandemic, which commenced with an assortment of graphic t-shirts attracting worldwide influencers and an impressive 90% traffic increase on social media platforms through using a paid advertisement strategy.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
