takingtheshirtoffyourback
WhenBonobos founderAndyDunncreatedacompanysellingmen’s
trousersonline, people thought hewascrazy. Theother part ofDunn’s
businessplan–shopswhereyoucan’t actuallybuyanything–sounded
evencrazier. But put the two together andyouhaveasuccessstory that
ischanging the faceof retail.
Most clothesstores, Dunnexplains, donot carryawide inventory,
meaningguysnever get trousers that fit them toowell.He reasoned that
most of themwould rather go toashop, select astyle, colour and fit and
then receiveawell-fittinggarment delivered to their homeor office that
hasbeenorderedonline. Sevenyearsafter his firstBonobosGuideshop
opened inNewYork’sFlatirondistrict, hehas just openedhis tenth in
LosAngeles–otherUSstores includeWashingtonDC–and isexploring
thepossibilityof bringing theconcept toEurope.
“Itmadeperfect sense tome,”Dunnexplains. “Mostmendon’t crave
the instant gratificationof leavingwithashoppingbag. They’dmuch
rather haveadrink ina relaxedenvironment, findstuff that fits themwell
andknow itwill bedelivered.Wehave38combinationsof trousersand
20colours.Noshop thesedayscanafford tokeepsomany
permutations instock,which iswhynothingever fitswell.”
Thecompanyalsoexpanded intoshirts,whichDunnsays, usually
present asimilarminefield formostmen.Oncemenknowwhat fits
them, they tend to just re-order thesame itemson thecompany’s
website in loadsof colours.
Dunnsayshissalesper squaremetreareonaparwithAppleand
Tiffany&Co., yet onequestion remains:will womenembrace this type
of shoppingasmuchasmen?The initial signsseemencouraging.Next
to itsNewYorkheadquarters, Bonobos recentlyopened the first
Guideshop for itsnewwomenswear lineAyr,whichhasas itscore
product denim jeans. Thecompanysays it hasbeenhugelyencouraged
by the response,withwomenappearing just aspleasedasmen to find
something they likeandnot having tocarryashoppingbag to theoffice
or out todinner. Thecompanyexpectssalesofwomenswear toeclipse
thoseofmenswearwithina fewyears.
Bonobos founder
AndyDunn
Rue Pierre Fatio 3
CH-1204 Genève
,
Suisse
t: +41 22 707 09 09
f: +41 22 707 09 10
Gerbergasse 1 (AmMarktplatz)
CH-4001 Basel
,
Schweiz
t: +41 61 260 31 31
f: +41 61 260 31 39
