Startups

Threadflip Suddenly Shuts Down, Will ‘Partner’ With Le Tote
January 14, 2016 at 11:02 am

Online consignment is competitive. Threadflip, a San Francisco-based online consignment startup, will shut down as of midnight Wednesday night, the site told users earlier this week. Founded in 2011, the company had gathered 1.5 million users and raised $21.1 million in venture funding from Norwest Ventures Partners, Shasta Ventures, Baseline Ventures and First Round Capital.

Meet the Millennials Changing How We Shop
January 5, 2016 at 11:03 am

Between them, they’ve raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture funding. They’ve launched high-tech e-commerce platforms and Main Street brick-and-mortar stores. They’re turning media sites into customer bases, creating affordable bespoke and luxury products and making the historically murky supply chain more transparent. Meet the retail and e-commerce 30 Under 30 class of 2016.

Shoes of Prey's Jodie Fox on Nordstrom Investment
December 14, 2015 at 9:18 am

On-demand customized shoe retailer Shoes of Prey made headlines last week when it announced that it had secured $15.5 million in a round of financing from various investors, most notably Nordstrom. In episode 16 of Total Retail Talks, Jodie Fox, co-founder and chief creative officer of Shoes of Prey, discusses the brand's partnership with Nordstrom.

Nordstrom Invests in On-Demand Shoe Retailer
December 7, 2015 at 10:21 am

The latest to take its turn on the fashion catwalk is Shoes of Prey, the Khosla Ventures-backed, on-demand customized shoe retailer, which has raised $15.5 million from a syndicate of investors including the retail giant Nordstrom. Shoes of Prey sells customizable shoes in a range of materials and designs online and in specialty retailers like…

Wary Of The “Next Warby”
November 17, 2015 at 10:16 am

Warby Parker is astonishingly successful, whether you judge it by the rave reviews of customers, its valuation or, more impressively, by the number of startups that compare themselves to the iconic eyeglass innovator. Over the last couple of years, I’ve met with dozens of entrepreneurs who have pitched themselves as the “Warby of ________.” Disrupting…

Bill Blass is Back
October 27, 2015 at 12:20 pm

Hedi Slimane's revamp of what we then referred to as Yves Saint Laurent was easily the most radical — and, at the time, controversial — brand makeover of recent memory. But what Chris Benz has done at American sportswear label Bill Blass will make Slimane look downright precious about the brand he took creative leadership…

How Failed J.C. Penney CEO Ron Johnson is Redeeming Himself With Enjoy
October 26, 2015 at 11:28 am

Most mornings, Ron Johnson rises just after 4 a.m., without the use of an alarm clock, and sets off on a five-mile run. "My strategy is, if I wake up before 3 a.m., I go back to sleep," he explains to a group of his employees, a dozen men and women in their twenties who…

Target Begins Venture With Techstars to Boost Startup Retailers
October 20, 2015 at 12:36 pm

Target Corp. is on the prowl for the next great retail startups. It's becoming the first partner in the Twin Cities for Techstars, a company that's developed an impressive track record in several other U.S. cities of helping tech startups grow into thriving firms. Techstars will set up an office for the next three years in the…

George Zimmer Takes On Men’s Wearhouse With Tuxedo Startup
September 16, 2015 at 11:54 am

Last year, George Zimmer was ousted from Men’s Wearhouse, the company he founded. His latest startup, an online tailoring platform, isn't doing so well. But now, Mr. Zimmer is sure he has a winner. On Tuesday, the graybeard ambassador of affordable suits unveiled his newest venture, Generation Tux, a website for tuxedo rentals.  

Is Kickstarter Always the Right Choice?
August 25, 2015 at 11:51 am

Kickstarter has become almost synonymous with crowdfunding: “Are you planning to kickstart that?” or “I’m thinking of kickstarting a new project.” Exploding on the scene in 2009, Kickstarter has housed some of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns in history and, in turn, has contributed largely to the standardization and expectation surrounding this relatively new method…