32 Fashion Business Success Stories [2024]
In 2022, the fashion industry was valued at $473.42B, with a growth rate of 8.3% over last year. To become successful in this highly competitive & ever-growing industry, you must have passion, perseverance, and the ability to take risks.
With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the way that fashion products are marketed online has completely changed, so it’s essential to keep up with these trends.
In this list, you'll find real-world fashion business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a fashion business that makes money.
1. I Love Ugly ($3.6M/year)
Valentin Ozich, the Founder of I Love Ugly, started the men's premium streetwear brand in 2008 with zero experience in business or fashion. He identified a gap in the market for high quality, affordable streetwear catered to men and sold primarily online. Despite setbacks and his lack of skills at the beginning, Ozich was determined to succeed and turned his idea into a multi-million dollar business.
How much money it makes: $3.6M/year
How many people on the team: 20
This case study showcases how Valentin Ozich built an online menswear brand, I Love Ugly, from scratch with a clear vision of creating premium streetwear catered to men that's affordable and sold primarily online, with some products selling upwards of 50,000 units/pieces globally and still remain some of the strongest sellers today.
2. XSuit ($3M/year)
Maximilien Perez, the founder of xSuit, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the limitations and discomfort of traditional suits. Through extensive market research and sourcing, he developed a suit made from premium stretch fabric that was also liquid-repellant and resistant to stains. After launching on Kickstarter and receiving overwhelming demand, the business quickly took off, reaching sales of over $350,000 in just a few months and expanding to other product lines.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 12
xSuit founder Maximilien Perez launched a modern-day redesign of the classic suit that is comfortable and requires less maintenance, resulting in over 20,000 suits sold to date and $350,000 in sales from July to September 2017 alone, selling online and exclusively kicking off through a successful Kickstarter campaign.
3. AGood Company ($2.64M/year)
Founder Anders Ankarlid was inspired to start AGood Company after experiencing the cataclysmic environmental effects of the summer of 2018 in Sweden. Realizing the need to address the climate crisis, Ankarlid used his background in entrepreneurship and eCommerce to create a sustainable and social impact startup. AGood Company sells elegant, everyday products made from sustainable materials, with flagship products including mobile cases made from linseed waste and stone paper notebooks made from recycled industrial waste marble. In just over a year, AGood Company has gained a global customer base of 30,000 customers and achieves an average monthly revenue of $220,000.
How much money it makes: $2.64M/year
How many people on the team: 12
A sustainable and social impact startup founded in Stockholm, Sweden, Agood Company sells elegant, everyday products in sustainable materials, and has achieved a global customer base of about thirty thousand customers and average monthly revenue of $220,000 in just over a year, with a mission to inspire people to transform from mindless consumerism towards making more conscious decisions.
4. 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%.
5. 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.
6. Dexpel ($1.44M/year)
In 2009, Sarim, a programmer and digital marketing expert, started Dexpel with a budget of $2,000 and a small A3 printer, laminator, and cutting system. Frustrated with the limited customization options available when shopping for apparel and merchandise, Sarim researched manufacturing processes and discovered that he could create these items in-house. With the introduction of an online customizer, Dexpel became the first company in Pakistan to offer this feature, leading to rapid growth and expansion into a full-fledged facility with over 30 employees. Their revenue has grown from $2,000 per month to $165,000 per year, but Sarim measures success by the team and product line growth.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 10
Dexpel, a Pakistani custom print store, grew from a budget of $2,000 for just a few vinyl customization products to over 200+ unique products and $165,000/year in revenue, by prioritizing online sales and developing in-house technology for order fulfillment.
7. Lucasgift ($1.2M/year)
After moving to the U.S., Taha's father started sewing leather items to make ends meet. In 2017, they opened an Etsy shop selling personalized leather keychains, which quickly grew to a $100k/mo business.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $70K
How many people on the team: 7
Discover how a mechanical engineering major and his dad scaled a personalized gift business to $100k/mo revenue mainly through selling personalized leather keychains with over 10,000 reviews and a 4.9-star rating, proving the power of differentiation and pricing strategies in a competitive market.
8. Shobitam Designs ($1.2M/year)
Aparna Thyagarajan and her sister Ambika, both with engineering and technology backgrounds, came up with the idea for their business, Shobitam, during a casual dinner conversation with their parents. They saw a gap in the market for accessible and affordable Indian ethnic fashion, especially for those living outside of India. After launching on Etsy in 2019, they experienced rapid growth and expanded to their own website in early 2020.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
How many people on the team: 18
Shobitam is a digital-first company that democratizes ethnic fashion globally with 40,000+ social media followers, tens of thousands of customers and shipped to over 30 countries, gaining explosive growth of 300% YoY during COVID times, and is currently a $1.2M/year ethnic fashion brand and the top 1 Etsy store.
9. 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.
10. EPIPHANY LA ($480K/year)
Jocelyn Thompson, founder of Epiphany LA, came up with the idea for her business when she was disappointed with the quality and options of padding inserts for swimsuit tops. After ordering several different products online and finding them unsatisfactory, she saw a gap in the market for a properly designed insert that looked natural and provided the desired effect. With a check for $15,000, Thompson was able to start her business and launch her product on Amazon, where it quickly gained traction and success.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
How many people on the team: 0
Epiphany LA's founder Jocelyn Thompson created a foam push-up padding insert to combat the market saturation of thick, pointy, and ill-sized padding inserts mostly offered in two sizes only, with her product currently patent-pending and earning around $12,000 a month mainly from Amazon USA, where customer reviews and organic SEO proved to be key.
11. Atlantis Shoes ($300K/year)
Tom Guo, founder of Atlantis Shoes, came up with the idea after working in the shoe manufacturing industry for over 10 years. Focusing on quality over quantity and aiming to reduce global waste, Guo wanted to create ethically-made footwear that would last a lifetime. With monthly revenue at $25,000 and 500 pairs sold each month, Atlantis Shoes embodies the philosophy of slow living and slow fashion.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Atlantis Shoes founder, Tom Guo, built a successful business selling vegan sneakers, with a monthly revenue of $25,000 and plans for a sustainable, mindful concept store in the future.
12. Height Of Fashion ($300K/year)
Natalie Matthews, the founder of Height-Of-Fashion, came up with the idea for her online clothing store for tall women after experiencing the frustration of not finding fashionable options for her own height (6'3). Through her personal Instagram account, she gained a following of tall women who were interested in purchasing the outfits she showcased, which validated her decision to start the label. Since launching in 2017, Height-Of-Fashion has doubled in profit, products, and customers, shipping to 15 countries.
How much money it makes: $300K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Height-Of-Fashion, an online clothing store for women 5'10" and over, saw double profit, products, and customers YoY, with a notable 43% retention rate, as the founder shares how Instagram, PR, and sports influencers are preferable to acquisition channels like Facebook for a niche market.
13. Yoke Apparel Manufacturing ($276K/year)
Jesse James, the founder of Yoke Apparel Manufacturing, came up with the idea after noticing a lack of action among people with strong opinions on social issues. He and his wife decided to make a tangible difference by moving to Vietnam and starting a clothing manufacturing business that directly hires at-risk locals in vulnerable situations. Despite initial challenges, they have achieved automation and stability after just 2 years of operation, and they are now focused on driving growth and revolutionizing the clothing industry.
How much money it makes: $276K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 30
Yoke Apparel Manufacturing is a comprehensive clothing manufacturing service specializing in low minimum order quantities, with an international customer base generating an average monthly revenue of $23,000 and managing to reach a 24% operating profit.
14. Seamm ($150K/year)
Marina Martianova, founder and CEO of Seamm, came up with the idea for her business by combining her passions for fashion and gaming. After founding and growing a successful food-tech startup, Marina saw the opportunity to bridge the gap between the fashion and gaming industries and create a platform that allows users to fully express their identity in virtual worlds. Since launching in December, Seamm has already onboarded six brands and aims to continue innovating in the digital fashion space.
How much money it makes: $150K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200K
How many people on the team: 19
Seamm is a U.S.-based startup that bridges the gap between real-world fashion and virtual worlds, creating digital twins of real-world fashion collections for video games and metaverses, with key features including phygital QR codes and a marketplace with purchase and trade functionality.
15. Suits Expert ($120K/year)
Alex noticed that men who wore suits had trouble matching them with other garments. So, in 2016, he created Suits Expert as a side hustle in his quest to provide expert guidance on suits and teach men how to dress better.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 5
Suits Expert Founder Alexander Stoicoff teaches men how to find and wear suits, generating an average of $10K/month and $120K/year with a growth strategy based on SEO, YouTube videos, and email marketing.
16. Creative Fashion Blog ($120K/year)
Lisa Miller-Mecham, the founder of Creative Fashion Blog, came up with the idea for her business after learning to sew while pregnant with her first child. She started by making a diaper bag from billboard canvas scraps she found while dumpster diving. From there, she built a successful handmade accessories business and eventually transitioned into selling printable sewing patterns, generating over $10k per month.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how this DIY blogger turned sewing pattern maker generates over $10k per month in passive income, and discover her tips for building an authentic brand on a budget.
17. Temples and Markets ($72K/year)
Judith Treanor came up with the idea for her business, Temples and Markets, after traveling extensively throughout Southeast Asia and being inspired by the creativity and resilience of the artisans she met. She wanted to expose their unique creations to a broader market and help others overcome "Buyers' Regret" by offering products that could usually only be found on one's travels. Since launching, Judith has used PR, SEO, and email marketing to attract and retain customers, with 85% of her traffic coming from SEO.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Temples and Markets founder Judith Treanor sources handmade, unique and sustainable artisan products from Southeast Asia for her online store, curating accessories, bags, jewelry and home decor to appeal to conscious consumers aged 30-55 who love to travel, with a 24% returning customer rate and an online conversion rate of .33%.
18. Fashivly ($71.2K/year)
Ashlyn, the founder of Fashivly, started her business after attending a conference that sparked her interest in entrepreneurship. She spent months researching and exploring different business opportunities before stumbling upon the idea of offering digital styling services. With no start-up costs, she began fulfilling client requests through social media and eventually launched her website in March 2022, leveraging a branding shoot and a beautifully designed Squarespace template.
How much money it makes: $71.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Fashivly is an online personal styling service that offers head-to-toe accessorized looks based on body type, lifestyle, budget, and desired style goals and has seen a 475% growth year over year, averaging $5,936 in revenue every month, all from organic social media and word of mouth.
19. 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 money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
How many people on the team: 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.
20. The Foodnited States ($60K/year)
Chris's eight year old suggested him the idea of "food named states". A photo series based on this idea went viral on Instagram, and a couple years later, Chris started developing a Shopify store for t-shirts based on the same concept.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 0
The Foodnited States, an online shop selling illustrated state-themed merchandise, started generating an extra $3-5k monthly with only 11 states available, having relied heavily on organic social media and an email list to attract customers, with user-generated content and collaborations with photographers and brands being its most effective marketing tools.
21. Nimble Made ($60K/year)
Tanya Zhang, co-founder of Nimble Made, came up with the idea for their D2C e-commerce menswear brand after observing the struggles of her co-founder Wesley Kang in finding a well-fitting dress shirt for his slim build. They created their own unique, actually-slim sizing based on height and weight and launched the business in late 2018, reaching $40k in revenue in their first year. Their mission is to increase Asian American Pacific Islander representation in fashion by offering slim-fit dress shirts that actually fit off-the-rack.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
A year-old D2C menswear brand that sells "actually slim" dress shirts, uses grassroots marketing, SEO, and Facebook/Instagram ads as their top customer acquisition channels with $40k in sales and plans to expand their product selection to pants, accessories, and more.
22. 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.
23. The Modest Man ($48K/year)
Brock McGoff came up with the idea for The Modest Man after struggling to find stylish clothing that fit his smaller frame. By creating thorough and helpful content catered to other "modest men," he was able to grow his audience and monetize his brand through advertising, affiliate programs, and brand partnerships. With almost a million monthly followers and generating $10-15k in revenue per month, The Modest Man has become a successful digital media brand in the men's fashion space.
How much money it makes: $48K/year
How many people on the team: 8
Learn how one entrepreneur built a million-person audience across various digital channels while generating $10-15k in monthly revenue through advertising brand partnerships, digital products, and affiliate programs with his digital media brand focused on helping shorter men dress better.
24. LilKong Brand ($36K/year)
Tramell McInnis, the founder of LilKong Brand, was inspired to start his lifestyle designer fashion brand after growing up in Compton and not having access to high-end designer fashion. Knowing the importance of knowledge and research in the industry, he teamed up with an experienced head designer and built a brand that offers creative and unique clothing options for young to middle-aged individuals with middle to high-class income.
How much money it makes: $36K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Tramell McInnis, owner of LilKong Brand, talks about his start-up experience, challenges faced in choosing the perfect manufacturer and launching a premium fashion brand, and his vision of expanding a young lifestyle designer fashion brand appreciated by middle to high-class income customers with 3-year estimated evaluation of $300K.
25. Dolly Thompson Baby Boutique ($15K/year)
Marlene Reid, founder of Dolly Thomson Baby Boutique, was inspired to start her business while working as a Health Visitor and receiving frequent requests from new parents for affordable, high-quality baby clothing. Recognizing a gap in the market, Marlene launched her online store and has seen impressive success, generating $1250 in monthly sales. She hopes to expand her product line and support new mothers in her local community in the future.
How much money it makes: $15K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3.5K
How many people on the team: 1
Dolly Thompson Baby Boutique founder Marlene Reid discusses how she created a one-stop-shop for affordable baby clothing, with the business already seeing $1250 per month in sales since launching earlier this year by establishing an impressive online presence using Google My Business and Shopify, largely through digital and social media marketing.
26. Cotilda's Fashion Limited ($13.7K/year)
Cotilda Makhumula-Nkhoma, the founder of Cotilda.com, came up with the idea for her African-inspired fashion brand after relocating to the United Kingdom from Malawi. Wanting to blend in with the culture while still embracing her roots, she created Cotilda to encourage people to create their own style and identity through clothing. With the support of Teesside University and her parents, Cotilda was able to turn her business idea into a reality.
How much money it makes: $13.7K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Cotilda Makhumula-Nkhoma's online clothing business, COTILDA.COM, was kickstarted by the FUEL program at Teesside University, and has since had features in British Vogue and appeared on ITV News, with trade shows working well as an offline tool to retain customers.
27. Estuary ($12K/year)
Mikey Young, a sneaker enthusiast and finance senior at Georgetown, realized during the pandemic that existing sneaker resale platforms were laden with fees and inaccessibility. Inspired by Phil Knight's "Shoe Dog," he launched Estuary, a fee-free resale platform, amassing $200k in inventory and 7 sellers by their February soft launch.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 0
Estuary, a unique secondary marketplace for sneakers that eliminates hidden fees and connects buyers with exclusive products through a subscription-based model, has attracted over 7 subscribed sellers, sold over 30 pairs of sneakers and is on track to earn about $12,000 in ARR within a month of its soft launch.
28. Smaragdas Art ($12K/year)
Albina, a designer from Moldova, found inspiration in her passion for art and fashion after moving to Greece. With her daughter as her motivation, she started Smaragdas Art, a slow fashion brand that creates unique, handmade, and sustainable jewelry and home decor items. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Albina's creations gained recognition internationally, appearing in magazines and even being presented at New York Fashion Week. Now, she plans to expand her business by opening an atelier in a tourist area of Athens and creating a new collection of sustainable bags.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
This case study follows Albina's journey of creating a slow fashion brand, Smaragdas Art, which sells unique, sustainable, and eco-friendly handmade creations, participating in fashion shows and having products featured in high-end international magazines despite starting at the height of the pandemic.
29. Creative Souls ($12K/year)
Drew McNamara, the founder of Creative Souls, came up with the idea for his business while in a social entrepreneurship class during his junior year of college. He was inspired by a non-profit that had artists with disabilities selling their artwork on shirts, but noticed that no one was printing their designs onto shoes. This led him to create Creative Souls, a brand that prints designs from individuals with disabilities onto canvas shoes and apparel, providing them with opportunities for success and income.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $45K
How many people on the team: 0
Creative Souls is a shoe and apparel brand that prints designs created by individuals with disabilities onto their products, paying artists over $1,000 since August 2019, with an average of $1,000 monthly sales, while providing opportunities for people with disabilities to earn money by creating art.
30. Absolute Fitness Apparel ($7.8K/year)
Anthony Mellor, founder of Absolute Fitness Apparel, was inspired to start his fitness-fashion brand after being influenced by fitness influencer Christian Guzman. With no prior business or fashion experience, Mellor embarked on a trial and error process to build his brand, focusing on quality content and optimizing his website for mobile use. Despite currently operating at a loss, Mellor has plans to expand his team and focus on incorporating innovation, practicality, and value into every garment.
How much money it makes: $7.8K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Absolute Fitness Apparel is an online based fitness-fashion brand in the UK that successfully launched 5 lines with 2.11% conversion rate, 1.6k average monthly traffic, and £43.50 average sale by focusing on influencer and affiliate marketing, SEO, Facebook ads, high-quality content, and mobile-optimized ecommerce platform.
31. 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.
32. Betsy DeVille ($1.2K/year)
Betsy, the founder of Betsy DeVille, came up with the idea for her business after attending a large atheist event and realizing that there were not many symbols or products available for atheists to express their beliefs. With a background in design and a desire to create meaningful and inspiring products, she started designing scarves and bracelets with secular, humanist, and atheist quotes. Her business has since grown, and she now sells a variety of items on platforms like Etsy and Amazon.
How much money it makes: $1.2K/year
How many people on the team: 0
Betsy DeVille is an e-commerce business that offers fashion, accessories, home decor, and gifts for a community of secular, rational, and atheist thinkers, which has doubled its income each year and had an estimated $1000 in sales last year.
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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.
