Latest news with #MelanieTravis
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Swimwear-maker Andie Acquires Richer Poorer, L.A.-based Essentials Label
Andie, the direct-to-consumer swimwear brand, has acquired California-based essentials label, Richer Poorer. The deal marks Andie's first acquisition and is a major step toward the company's desire to become a multibrand, multicategory lifestyle business. Andie, which was founded in 2017 by chief executive officer Melanie Travis, has developed a business of high-quality one-piece suits designed for all body types. Last year, Travis began exploring category expansion into seasonless, everyday apparel that aligned with the brand's coastal chic aesthetic, and she learned that Richer Poorer, a brand that she had admired, might be open to being sold. More from WWD Fourteen Designers to Participate in Pop-up Experience Hosted at the Hindman Gallery in New York Cinq à Sept Opens First West Coast Store in Fashion Island in Newport Beach, Calif. William L. McComb Named to the Board of Tecovas, the Austin-based Western Wear Brand 'When I saw that possibility, it immediately clicked,' Travis said. 'I've been a longtime fan and customer, and the brand had everything we were envisioning — elevated basics, comfort, wearability and a loyal customer base. It felt like a natural extension of Andie.' Richer Poorer was founded in 2010 by Iva Pawling and Timothy Morse and became known for its effortless wardrobe stapes. In 2023, the brand was acquired by mall chain Francesca's. Two years later, Francesca's was ready to part ways, and Andie stepped up. With this acquisition, Richer Poorer will now be folded into Andie's high-performing e-commerce operations, enabling the brand to better leverage data to drive customer acquisition, optimize inventory and accelerate growth. The price of the acquisition wasn't disclosed. Travis emphasized that Richer Poorer will continue to operate as a stand-alone brand, with its identity and product focus intact. 'Customers won't see big changes — we love the brand and the product, and that's why we bought it. But we're going to bring fresh energy through a sharper merchandising lens, a best-in-class site experience, fewer stock-outs, and faster fulfillment. What customers love about Richer Poorer will remain, just supported by a stronger operational backbone,' Travis said. As part of the integration, each brand will begin to feature select products from the other on their respective websites. 'This isn't about restructuring — it's about scaling,' Travis said. 'We've spent eight years building a lean, powerful operation at Andie. Now we get to apply that model to more than just swim. It's the next chapter, and I couldn't be more excited,' Travis said. Asked what she sees as the synergy between the two brands, Travis said, 'Both brands believe in comfort without compromise. Elevated, easy pieces that fit seamlessly into your life — and make you feel good while wearing them.' She said that what she liked about the Richer Poorer product was that 'the quality and design are incredibly thoughtful. 'Their cropped T is one of my go-to staples — it's perfectly cut, soft and effortlessly cool. Their fleece is also a personal favorite. It's elevated enough to wear out, and cozy enough to live in. The whole line hits that sweet spot of comfort and wearability that we value at Andie,' Travis said. While Andie is based in Brooklyn, and Richer Poorer is a California-born brand, they plan to integrate fully with cross-functional teams supporting both brands across coasts. Travis noted that Richer Poorer's former owner and parent company are no longer involved. 'We've retained key team members, including the brand director and production manager to ensure continuity in product quality and brand identity,' Travis said. She noted that Richer Poorer's pricing, from $40 for T-shirts to $125 for sweaters, 'aligns closely with Andie's, making it a seamless fit our customer.' Women's sizes for Richer Poorer range from XS to XL and men's goes from S to XXL, with several unisex styles. 'The brand has offered extended sizing selectively in the past, and we're excited to expand that even further,' said Travis. She also noted that Andie has focused on women's, but Richer Poorer does both men's and women's 'which allows us to thoughtfully enter the men's category with a brand that's already established in that space.' This acquisition reflects a broader trend in the direct-to-consumer space, where consolidation has become a strategic path to scale as brands face rising acquisition costs, fierce competition for consumer attention and mounting pressure for profitability. 'This marks the next phase of growth for Andie. We've spent the past eight years building a lean, high-performing business in swimwear — profitable, digitally native and customer-obsessed. Now, we're taking that proven model and applying it to new categories, starting with Richer Poorer. It's about scaling smart, staying true to our core values of comfort and confidence and meeting our customer in more moments of her life. This acquisition also lays the foundation for a broader multibrand platform — a vision we're incredibly excited to build toward,' Travis said. Best of WWD Macy's Is Closing 66 Stores in 2025 — Here's the List, Live Updates Inside the Demise of Lord & Taylor COVID-19 Spikes Elevate Retail Concerns
Fibre2Fashion
14-05-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
US' Andie buys Richer Poorer to strengthen multi-brand growth strategy
Andie, the direct-to-consumer swimwear brand known for premium one-piece suits designed for all body types, announces today the acquisition of California-based essentials label Richer Poorer. The deal marks Andie's first acquisition and a major step toward its vision of becoming a multi-brand, multi-category lifestyle business. Founded in 2017 by chief executive Melanie Travis, Andie quickly rose to prominence with its flattering, high-quality swimwear, beloved for its inclusive fit and elevated design. Last year, Travis began exploring category expansion into seasonless, everyday apparel that aligned with the brand's coastal chic aesthetic. As she pursued an acquisition strategy, she came to learn that Richer Poorer — a brand she had long admired — might be interested in selling. Andie, the direct-to-consumer swimwear brand, has acquired California-based essentials label Richer Poorer, marking its first acquisition. Richer Poorer will remain a standalone brand, benefitting from Andie's strong e-commerce operations to improve merchandising, site experience, and fulfilment. Both brands will cross-promote products to expand customer reach. "When I saw that possibility, it immediately clicked," said Travis . "I've been a longtime fan and customer, and the brand had everything we were envisioning—elevated basics, comfort, wearability, and a loyal customer base. It felt like a natural extension of Andie." Richer Poorer was founded in 2010 by Iva Pawling and Timothy Morse and became known for its effortlessly cool wardrobe staples. In 2023, the brand was acquired by mall chain Francesca's. Two years later, Francesca's was ready to part ways — creating the perfect opportunity for Andie to step in and carry the brand forward. With this acquisition, Richer Poorer will now be folded into Andie's high-performing e-commerce operations, enabling the brand to better leverage data to drive customer acquisition, optimize inventory, and accelerate growth. Travis emphasized that Richer Poorer will continue to operate as a standalone brand, with its identity and product focus intact. "Customers won't see big changes — we love the brand and the product, and that's why we bought it. But we're going to bring fresh energy through a sharper merchandising lens, a best-in-class site experience, fewer stockouts, and faster fulfillment. What customers love about Richer Poorer will remain, just supported by a stronger operational backbone." As part of the integration, each brand will begin to feature select products from the other on their respective websites. The goal is to create meaningful cross-discovery between two highly aligned customer bases: modern, intentional shoppers who prioritize comfort, quality, and style. "This isn't about restructuring — it's about scaling," added Travis . "We've spent eight years building a lean, powerful operation at Andie. Now we get to apply that model to more than just swim. It's the next chapter, and I couldn't be more excited." This move reflects a broader trend in the direct-to-consumer space, where consolidation has become a strategic path to scale as brands face rising acquisition costs, fierce competition for consumer attention, and mounting pressure for profitability. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
Associated Press
13-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Andie Acquires Richer Poorer, Expanding Into Everyday Apparel and Laying Foundation for Multi-Brand Growth
NEW YORK, May 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Andie, the direct-to-consumer swimwear brand known for premium one-piece suits designed for all body types, announces today the acquisition of California-based essentials label Richer Poorer. The deal marks Andie's first acquisition and a major step toward its vision of becoming a multi-brand, multi-category lifestyle business. Founded in 2017 by chief executive Melanie Travis, Andie quickly rose to prominence with its flattering, high-quality swimwear, beloved for its inclusive fit and elevated design. Last year, Travis began exploring category expansion into seasonless, everyday apparel that aligned with the brand's coastal chic aesthetic. As she pursued an acquisition strategy, she came to learn that Richer Poorer — a brand she had long admired — might be interested in selling. 'When I saw that possibility, it immediately clicked,' said Travis. 'I've been a longtime fan and customer, and the brand had everything we were envisioning—elevated basics, comfort, wearability, and a loyal customer base. It felt like a natural extension of Andie.' Richer Poorer was founded in 2010 by Iva Pawling and Timothy Morse and became known for its effortlessly cool wardrobe staples. In 2023, the brand was acquired by mall chain Francesca's. Two years later, Francesca's was ready to part ways — creating the perfect opportunity for Andie to step in and carry the brand forward. With this acquisition, Richer Poorer will now be folded into Andie's high-performing e-commerce operations, enabling the brand to better leverage data to drive customer acquisition, optimize inventory, and accelerate growth. Travis emphasized that Richer Poorer will continue to operate as a standalone brand, with its identity and product focus intact. 'Customers won't see big changes — we love the brand and the product, and that's why we bought it. But we're going to bring fresh energy through a sharper merchandising lens, a best-in-class site experience, fewer stockouts, and faster fulfillment. What customers love about Richer Poorer will remain, just supported by a stronger operational backbone.' As part of the integration, each brand will begin to feature select products from the other on their respective websites. The goal is to create meaningful cross-discovery between two highly aligned customer bases: modern, intentional shoppers who prioritize comfort, quality, and style. 'This isn't about restructuring — it's about scaling,' added Travis. 'We've spent eight years building a lean, powerful operation at Andie. Now we get to apply that model to more than just swim. It's the next chapter, and I couldn't be more excited.' This move reflects a broader trend in the direct-to-consumer space, where consolidation has become a strategic path to scale as brands face rising acquisition costs, fierce competition for consumer attention, and mounting pressure for profitability. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Andie
Fashion United
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Andie acquires Richer Poorer to accelerate growth
US swimwear brand Andie has acquired Richer Poorer, a company specialising in comfortable clothing such as nautical-inspired t-shirts and jumpers, according to Business of Fashion (BoF). Although the financial terms were not disclosed, the transaction was carried out with Andie's own funds and marks its first acquisition since its founding eight years ago. Both brands will begin selling each other's products on their respective websites, increasing their visibility and reach. Its founder, Melanie Travis, projects that, combined, they could exceed 100 million dollars in annual sales within three to five years. With annual sales of 50 million dollars, Andie is looking to expand beyond swimwear without developing a new line from scratch. Travis chose Richer Poorer for sharing a similar aesthetic and for being a brand that she already used personally. Richer Poorer, founded in 2010 and acquired by Francesca's in 2023, saw its growth stall under its previous owner. Now, the integration with Andie will optimise its online sales channel and relaunch its growth, with the goal of exceeding 10 million dollars in sales. This move reflects a trend among direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands that choose to join forces rather than seek external investment. Travis also leaves open the possibility of selling a majority stake in the future if this allows for faster scaling. This article was translated to English using an AI tool. FashionUnited uses AI language tools to speed up translating (news) articles and proofread the translations to improve the end result. This saves our human journalists time they can spend doing research and writing original articles. Articles translated with the help of AI are checked and edited by a human desk editor prior to going online. If you have questions or comments about this process email us at info@
