8 Streetwear Brand Success Stories [2024]
Streetwear is a type of clothing that is usually casual but can also be sporty or formal. Streetwear brands sell everything from hoodies and t-shirts to sneakers, joggers, and jeans.
Starting a streetwear clothing brand has many benefits: it allows you to express yourself through your style, and it allows you to connect with people who share similar interests as you do.
One of the main advantages of starting a streetwear brand is that it doesn't require much capital—you can get started with just an idea!
Here are some real life success stories of starting a streetwear brand:
1. DEAL WITH DEVIL ($7.8K/year)
Lachlan Sonter started his luxury streetwear brand, Deal with Devil, in 2017 as a way to cope with his mental state and release his emotions. He began by designing and sewing his own garments, and eventually found a manufacturer to mass-produce his designs. Since launching, Sonter has seen success in retaining customers, but is working on attracting new ones through social media marketing and content creation. While the brand is not yet profitable, Sonter is optimistic about the future and is determined to stay true to the brand's identity.
How much they make: $7.8K/year
Current team size: 1
Australian Lux Streetwear brand, Deal with Devil, was created by Lachlan Sonter as an outlet for his mental state, and has since become a popular brand, with its black long sleeve crewneck being the highest-selling garment.
2. Empire Skate ($1.44M/year)
Matt Wells co-founded Empire Skate after the only skate shop in Lower Hutt closed down. With a passion for skateboarding and a desire to serve the local community, Matt and his business partner launched their own skate and streetwear store, which has now grown into a successful online business with a monthly turnover of $120K.
How much they make: $1.44M/year
Current team size: 10
Empire Skate is an independently run skate and streetwear store that specializes in skateboards, footwear, clothing, and everything in between relating to skate culture; with an average monthly turnover of around $120K and over 150 different brands from around the world, its success is due in part to a strong focus on community and a loyal customer base.
So... can you actually make money with a streetwear brand?
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. LacedUp ($13.2M/year)
Andrew Pevzner and his brother, Phillip, started their business journey at a young age with various ventures. Their transition into the world of high-end collectible sneakers came when they opened a retail store called Flowboard, and after realizing the potential in the resale shoe market, they rebranded the store to focus on sneakers and launched Laced Up. With a passion for business and hard work, they successfully grew Laced Up into a chain of four retail stores and a thriving online business, achieving over $5 million in annual sales.
How much they make: $13.2M/year
Current team size: 40
Two brothers built a $5M annual sales business, Laced Up, from a lawn care service they started at age 10, and have since grown from one store to 4 locations in New York and New Jersey, specializing in high-end collectible sneakers and providing great customer service.
4. Dropout SRL ($1.68M/year)
Kola Tytler, the founder of dropout, came up with the idea for his business after learning about the underground sneaker resale market and self-teaching himself to code a sneaker bot. He later teamed up with others to create software that collected data and ran statistical analysis, which led to the creation of HypeAnalyzer. Frustrated with university, Kola decided to bring the ultimate sneaker shopping experience to Italy, leading to the birth of dropout.
How much they make: $1.68M/year
How much did it cost to start: $120K
Current team size: 8
Founder Kola Tytler managed to build a profitable business, Dropout, worth over $2.5 million by selling limited edition sneakers and streetwear, despite having no prior experience and juggling medical school; the company saw over 50,000 in-store visitors and over $100k in sales in December 2021 alone and raised €750k via equity crowdfunding in 6 days.
So... can you actually make money with a streetwear brand?
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. BrownMill Company ($327K/year)
Justis Pitt-Goodson, the founder of streetwear brand BrownMill clothing, dropped out of college to pursue his business full-time. He started by selling bow ties and grew the brand by promoting its online store at pop-up events. The subscription model, offering tiers of bundled clothing, has been successful, and BrownMill aims to reach $2 million in annual revenue and open more storefronts in the future.
How much they make: $327K/year
Current team size: 10
Streetwear brand BrownMill, founded by Justis Pitt-Goodson and two friends, attracted NBA players as customers and posted $327,000 in revenue in 2021 by selling luxury clothes produced from recycled textile materials via its online store and through subscription packages.
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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
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
