How did the idea for Ivory Row come about?
How did the idea for Ivory Row come about?
Pierre: Working on the brick-and-mortar side of the retail industry, Grace and I witnessed firsthand how disruptive new business models were quickly changing the face of the retail landscape. Traditional retailers who failed to harness the powers of technology, social media, and online branding would soon face the same fate as the dinosaurs.
One core problem with brick-and-mortar retail is that traditional retail channels allow for too many middlemen in the supply chain, ultimately leading to higher prices for consumers. Inspired by brands like Warby Parker and Everlane, we knew there were enormous opportunities in the direct-to-consumer market.
After a year of market research, focus groups, product testing and supplier meetings, we landed on a segment of the market that really spoke to us --- cashmere. Traditionally, cashmere has either been an exorbitantly priced luxury item attainable only by the truly affluent or a poorly made department store brand sweater that falls apart after a year of wearing.
We decided that there was a huge opportunity to make high-end cashmere more attainable by building an exclusive online brand that offered the same quality of cashmere as the world’s leading fashion brands at more democratic price points.
