22 Online Clothing Business Success Stories [2024]
Starting an online clothing business is an exciting and promising venture. The concept is simple: create an online platform where customers can browse, purchase, and receive their fashion items directly to their doorstep. The beauty of an online clothing business is that you don't have to worry about the overhead costs associated with a physical store, and you can reach a broader customer base.
However, running a successful online clothing business takes more than just setting up a website and listing products. Here are a few tips to ensure your business thrives:
Find your niche: The fashion industry is vast, and it’s essential to find your niche and target market. Identify what type of clothing you want to sell and to whom. For example, if you’re passionate about sustainable fashion, you can focus on selling eco-friendly clothing for the eco-conscious consumer.
Build a strong brand: Your brand is your business’s identity, and it’s crucial to create a strong brand that resonates with your target market. Choose a catchy and memorable business name, and create a consistent visual identity across all platforms, including your website, social media, and packaging.
Invest in excellent product photography: The quality of your product photography can make or break your business. People can’t touch or try on clothes online, so the photos are their only reference. Invest in professional photography to showcase your products in the best light possible.
Prioritize customer service: Good customer service is vital to building customer trust and loyalty. Respond quickly to customer inquiries, and make it easy for them to contact you. Offer free returns, and consider offering a loyalty program to keep your customers returning.
Stay on top of trends: The fashion industry is ever-evolving, and it’s crucial to stay on top of the latest trends. Keep an eye on what’s popular and what's coming next, and consider incorporating trendy items into your product offerings.
Starting an online clothing business may seem daunting, but it’s an exciting and fulfilling venture. By finding your niche, building a solid brand, investing in excellent product photography, prioritizing customer service, and staying on top of trends, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful and lucrative online clothing business.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a online clothing business:
1. KAHINDO ($60K/year)
Kahindo Mateene, Founder and Chief Creative Director of KAHINDO, came up with the idea for her luxury sustainable fashion brand after launching a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2014. She repurposed fabric scraps into clutches made by women in her hometown of Goma, Congo. Inspired by her Pan-African upbringing and desire to create positive change through fashion, she rebranded in 2017 and now incorporates original prints and African stories into her designs.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
Current team size: 1
KAHINDO is a sustainable women's luxury fashion brand that celebrates African fashion and promotes ethical work practices, with annual sales of $60k and wholesale clients like Rent The Runway.
2. Butter Cloth ($6M/year)
How much they make: $6M/year
Current team size:
A founder's journey from partnering with Metta World Peace, getting funding on Shark Tank, and overcoming an uncomfortable problem, leading their clothing company Buttercloth to $6 million in sales.
So... can you actually make money with a online clothing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Highway Robery ($120K/year)
Jackie and Evan Streusand, a married couple living in Austin, Texas, came up with the idea for Highway Robery during a road trip in 2016. They had a great time lounging in robes and realized that there was a market for fun, colorful, and sustainable robes that could bring out people's inner-goofball. Starting with a small investment of $7,000, they launched the business and have seen a 49% YoY sales growth as of May 2019.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $7K
Current team size: 0
Highway Robery is a sustainable robe company in Austin, Texas, producing colorful, all-inclusive, gender-neutral robes in the USA, having increased their sales up 49% YoY as of May 31, 2019.
4. NG Apparels ($16M/year)
Arpit Aryan Gupta, the founder of NG Apparels, came up with the idea for his garment export business after his father lost a significant amount of money in the 2008 US market crash. Seeing the potential in Ludhiana's clothing manufacturing ecosystem, Gupta decided to establish a clothing manufacturing unit in 2012. With a turnover of 12cr ($1,581,547), NG Apparels has experienced exponential growth and serves clients in the US, UK, Australia, and other countries.
How much they make: $16M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 42
NG Apparels is a garment export unit based in Ludhiana that caters to the clothing segments worldwide, boasting a turnover of $1,581,547 without loans or credit card limits.
So... can you actually make money with a online clothing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Everlane ($120M/year)
At just 25 years old, Michael Preysman had a vision to create a direct-to-consumer clothing brand that would not only stand out from the competition, but also have a minimal impact on the environment. His vision became a reality as Everlane's value skyrocketed from $0 to over $100 million in just six years. Learn more about their journey to success on pixelphant.com.
How much they make: $120M/year
Current team size: 333
This case study explores the impressive growth of an ethical fashion brand, Everlane, whose founder saw his company's value increase from $0 to over $100 million in just six years.
6. Portland Gear ($1.44M/year)
After building a strong and engaged community on Instagram, Marcus Harvey saw an opportunity to create a brand that resonated with Portland residents. Leveraging his background in garment design and branding, he launched Portland Gear on Black Friday in 2014, aiming to provide quality menswear items and accessories that foster a sense of community in the city.
How much they make: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 15
This case study showcases how Portland Gear founder Marcus Harvey leveraged his Instagram community to build a successful retail clothing store offering quality menswear items and accessories.
So... can you actually make money with a online clothing business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Nasty Gal ($55.9M/year)
How much they make: $55.9M/year
Current team size: 217
Nasty Gal, founded by Sophia Amoruso in 2006, experienced a revenue increase from $250k to $30m; Amoruso published the hashtagged book "#GIRLBOSS" and the TV program "Girlboss" was distributed to 100 million households.
8. Chubbies ($44.1M/year)
Skilled in the art of producing and marketing clothing, Tom Montgomery, Preston Rutherford, Hency, and Ranier Castillo started menswear brand Chubbies in 2011. Since its founding, the brand has experienced exponential growth, increasing its net sales from $2.4 million in 2012 to an impressive $44.1 million in 2020. Learn more about their success story on Medium.
How much they make: $44.1M/year
Current team size: 110
Men's clothing brand Chubbies has experienced impressive growth, increasing its net sales from $2.4 million to $44.1 million since 2012, thanks in part to the founders' skills in production and marketing.
9. Voonik ($34.2M/year)
Navaneetha Krishnan and Sujayath Ali founded Voonik to revolutionize the fashion shopping experience in India. With over 1 million downloads and a million transactions per month, their app caters to both men and women, offering customized clothing options based on physique, personality, lifestyle, and budget.
How much they make: $34.2M/year
Current team size: 210
Voonik- India's fastest-growing fashion shopping app, offers a personalized shopping experience for women with over 1M downloads, more than a million transactions completed each month and desktop website launched in March 2013.
10. Lunya ($25M/year)
Ashley Merrill, the founder and CEO of Lunya, came up with the idea for her upscale sleepwear company in 2012, focusing on using upscale materials and emphasizing body-flattering cuts for both men and women. Since its launch, Lunya has seen impressive growth, with a year-over-year increase of 500%. Listen to the full podcast on storybehindthebrand.libsyn.com to learn more about Lunya's success.
How much they make: $25M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 61
Lunya, an upscale sleepwear company founded by Ashley Merrill, has grown Year over Year by an incredible 500%, offering stylish and comfortable sleepwear and rest wear for both men and women.
11. Pink Lily ($141M/year)
How much they make: $141M/year
Current team size: 101
Women's fashion brand Pink Lily has generated over $141M in annual revenue and delivered more than 1.5 million products to customers since 2011, with 56% of customers placing repeat orders and founder Tori Gerbig utilizing her 595K Instagram followers to promote the business.
12. PaigeLauren ($7.8M/year)
Former architectural designer Paige Lauren founded PaigeLauren in 2009 to fulfill her quest for simple and classic baby clothes for her friends. The luxury baby clothing company, known for its soft and organic fabrics, has become a prominent player in the market, generating a monthly revenue of approximately $650,000. With a modest 16K+ followers on Instagram, PaigeLauren continues to thrive in the cute and comfy baby clothing industry.
How much they make: $7.8M/year
Current team size: 41
Luxury baby clothing company PaigeLauren, making simple & organic fabrics with a luxurious look & feel for babies & toddlers, and boasting a monthly revenue of around $650,000 through their promotion on Instagram.
13. Sleeping Baby ($4.92M/year)
Stephanie and Brett Parker's journey from a $500 website and $200 for materials to building a multi-million dollar baby product line, Sleeping Baby, is a true example of entrepreneurial success. Their best-selling product, the Zipadee-Zip, has gained popularity among new parents, catching the attention of investors on ABC's Shark Tank. This inspiring story showcases their problem-solving skills and passion for parenting.
How much they make: $4.92M/year
How much did it cost to start: $700
Current team size:
Business Insider-style synopsis: Aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from Stephanie and Brett Parker, who turned $700 into a multi-million dollar baby product empire with Sleeping Baby, founded in 2013, thanks to problem-solving skills and their best-selling baby swaddle Zipadee-Zip.
14. iGirl World ($1.26M/year)
Bella McFadden, known as Internet Girl, built an alt-fashion community on social media and Depop, using her unique aesthetic inspired by Y2K emo culture. With a strong social media presence and millions in sales, Bella is now launching her own website, iGirlworld.com, to sell her original designs and take her brand to the next level.
How much they make: $1.26M/year
Current team size:
Teenager turned millionaire entrepreneur creates viral alt-fashion brand from scratch, with 380K followers on Instagram and more than 1 million dollars earned from Depop app, now launching her own website to sell original designs under her brand name, iGirl.
15. MealSurfers ($60K/year)
How much they make: $60K/year
Current team size:
This case study highlights how a men's apparel company founded by Paul in California successfully raised $15,000 through Kickstarter.
16. MeUndies ($75M/year)
Jonathan Shokrian launched MeUndies in 2011 after a frustrating underwear shopping experience. He raised an impressive $400,000 from family and friends to create a millennial-friendly online store for underwear, and the brand gained significant media attention in 2014 when Facebook blocked some of its ads featuring scantily-clad models. Since then, MeUndies has become popular among younger generations, boasting over 500,000 Facebook fans and 340,000 Instagram followers, thanks in part to celebrity endorsements from stars like Kylie Jenner and the Hadid sisters.
How much they make: $75M/year
Current team size: 126
MeUndies used social media shock value to become a millennial-friendly online store for underwear with more than 500k+ Facebook fans and 340+ Instagram followers, thanks to endorsements from stars like Kylie Jenner and the Hadid sisters.
17. Under Armour ($5.7B/year)
How much they make: $5.7B/year
Current team size: 10136
Under Armour, the American sports equipment and sports apparel manufacturing company, started from scratch in 1996 with an initial product of a synthetic base layer that wicks away sweat, and has since expanded their range to include football, cross-training, and running shoes, with 2019 revenues of $5.27 billion.
18. Tommy John ($22.6M/year)
Erin Fujimoto and Tom Patterson founded Tommy John in 2008, introducing the world's first patented undershirt with a stay-tucked guarantee. Recognizing the opportunity to improve the quality and customer experience in the underwear market, they later expanded their product line to include underwear, socks, casual wear, and activewear. By 2014, Tommy John's revenue had grown fivefold, and the brand has gained recognition in major publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Esquire, GQ, and Golf Digest. Today, their products can be found in over 1000 retail locations across the USA, and they have recently sold their 5 millionth pair of underwear.
How much they make: $22.6M/year
Current team size: 162
Tommy John, the vertically integrated consumer brand in the underwear market, has grown to selling over 5 million pairs of underwear across 1000 retail locations with a focus on direct-to-consumer relationships since 2012 that has seen the company's revenue grow five times since 2014.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 8,628 business ideas
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
