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- The San Francisco Bay Area is well known as a hub of innovation, particularly in tech.
- 11 online clothing startups, including industry disruptors Stitch Fix, Everlane, and ThirdLove, are proving that the area’s penchant for innovation extends into the world of fashion as well.
- By making use of data, cool and sustainable fabrics, and personalized solutions, they’re signaling to the rest of the world to pay attention to San Francisco — for more than just its tech scene.
In a fast-paced game of word associations, you’re more likely to shout out "tech" when the card for San Francisco/Bay Area is drawn, before you even begin to consider "fashion" or "clothing."
On the other side of the country, New York City — home to Fashion Week, boutique-ridden SoHo, and the offices of iconic fashion magazines — might more confidently assume the role as a top fashion capital of the world.
Still, a group of clothing startups is proving that fashion born in San Francisco has its place, too. Some of the most talked-about industry game-changers, including Stitch Fix, Everlane, and ThirdLove, were founded in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Their proximity to the unique innovation happening in San Francisco and the nearby Silicon Valley provides a strong impetus to weave tech and sustainable practices into the DNA of their businesses. The Bay has long been home to new ways of thinking about how we live, and with these startups, it’s now also changing how we dress and shop for clothes.
A few themes connect these San Francisco-based clothing startups, including the use of data to create customized or personalized solutions, missions of ethical and sustainable consumption, and the belief that clothing can do more than just look pretty. Not that SF has ever needed help getting people to pay attention to it, but now you’ll have reason to consider it in a new light.
Learn more about the 11 San Francisco-based clothing startups that are changing the fashion industry:
Everlane
Everlane
Shop clothing at Everlane here
Everlane is the antithesis of traditional fast, trendy fashion and every minimalist dresser’s dream brand. Just take a look at its best sellers for proof: classic stretch jeans, basic leather flats, and $100 cashmere crew sweaters aren’t the stuff of runway buzz, but they are the pieces you’ll wear and keep for many, many years to come. It operates on a mission of "Radical Transparency," whereby it partners with ethical factories and doesn’t overcharge you for its high-quality basics.
Athleta
Athleta/Instagram
Shop athletic wear at Athleta here
Gap, Inc. opened its first Gap store on Ocean Avenue in San Francisco in 1969. Forty years later, its women’s athletic wear brand Athleta was born. From colorful leggings to performance workwear and even underwear, this certified B Corp has proven to be an all-around powerhouse that combines style and fabric innovation (in the realms of both performance and sustainability) in each of its pieces.
Stitch Fix
Stitch Fix/Instagram
Start a personal styling membership at Stitch Fix here
Valued at $2 billion, personal styling service Stitch Fix was founded in 2011 and went public just six years later. By using the technology of proprietary algorithms and the human touch of real stylists, it’s able to quickly and effectively help its members shop for clothes they like. Features like the Style Profile and Style Shuffle game ensure style preferences are continually updated and understood, so members can enjoy a highly personalized shopping experience.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Connie Chen)