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The vegan fashion brand recently closed $3 million in seed funding to expand its cruelty-free outerwear line locally and internationally.
As veganism moves further into the mainstream, a booming consumer sector if ever there was one, forward-thinking brands have begun to jump on the cruelty-free fashion bandwagon. Fronting a trend that now extends far beyond food choices (because socially conscious consumerism isn’t just about eliminating animal products from our diets these days), Apparis is the women-owned clothing company dedicated to changing the industry for good.
Alongside the ever-growing interest in going vegan – a trend that reached an all-time high this year according to The Economist – vegan clothing continues to soar in popularity. So much so in fact, that consumer insights company Hitwise reported a 39% increase in web searches for vegan fashion between 2015 and 2018.
Eager to appeal to this market, Apparis was founded in 2016 by former Louis Vuitton business manager Amelie Brick and former Saint Laurent merchandiser Lauren Nouchi with the intention of becoming a top vegan fashion retailer. And, acknowledging the rapidly shifting values of a new generation of savvy shoppers who want to do more for their planet, Apparis recently closed $3 million in seed funding to expand its offering.
‘In just four years, Apparis has disrupted the fashion industry,’ says Shana Fisher, managing partner at Third Kind, the venture capital firm responsible for the seed funding. ‘The co-founders bring a unique mix of business and design genius, which has allowed Apparis to become a powerful multichannel brand.’
Having initially emerged into the fashion spotlight with its bestselling Goldie jacket, Apparis has its sights currently set on developing a range of high-quality knitwear, home, and gender-neutral lines, all manufactured using its signature animal-free fur and leather.
‘We also aim to use the funding to establish a strong digital direct-to-consumer strategy and to continue to aggressively grow the business in the US and internationally,’ said Brick in a statement. ‘Plus we’ll be announcing a series of several high-profile brand collaborations later this year.’
With the help of its huge cult following and the funding (of course), Apparis will no doubt succeed in its mission to dominate the vegan clothing scene. Here’s hoping the rest of the industry follows suit.
