To be heard is a good surprise and also a confirmation in the market that there is an appetite. The fact that Americans are embracing this level of luxury shows that. He added: “In America in the past there has been Geoffrey Beene and Halston and not that much is going on. We are not trying to dictate one look, which is more of a fashion approach, and that sets us apart.” Helbers said he thinks Fforme’s early success lies in the fact that, “We are whispering and not shouting. Womenswear is faster and more frenetic in a way,” Vazquez said.
“At first we were really only talking to female designers and upon meeting with Paul, the rigor and discipline of menswear made sense. With Vazquez’s experience in fashion business management, and Khosla’s provenance in tech to build Fforme’s online experience, Helbers was the missing secret weapon the two women needed.
I realized that if I really wanted to have an impact, one of the ways to do that was to work with culture and the question of aspiration.” I am not someone who was going to invent the next AI that will change the world - that’s my brothers. Of all the opportunities she could have sprung for, Khosla said she chose fashion because: “When I think about fashion and luxury, what I think is so powerful about them is that they create culture. It’s the only way to make it sustainable,” she added. At this luxury price point it’s all about that slow growth. It’s a slow growth industry that’s about longevity and having customers that are with you. “We are committed to growing slowly and that is what makes it really challenging as an investment. It would be just a minor alteration of a sleeve length or the hem of a trouser,” said Vazquez. The clothes were made in an alpha size range and they are relaxed silhouettes that anchor somewhere on the body - not just oversize clothes. “We built them in a way that people have ease and comfort without needing major alterations. They will also hold multiple in-person selling events over the next few months in cities including San Francisco and Los Angeles.įforme’s clothes - conceived as architectural shapes for intellectual working women - are designed by creative director Paul Helbers, who previously devised menswear for Louis Vuitton and The Row.Ĭontinuing with Fforme’s d-to-c strategy, Helbers has designed the clothes in a way that requires little tailoring. Instead, they are busy hiring a customer service specialist to help facilitate d-to-c orders and plan sales events in high-earning vacation hubs like Aspen. “It’s really important that we maintain the ticketed value of the merchandise and not become part of the system of markdowns,” said cofounder Laura Vazquez. They have made a principal rule, for now, not to accept department store accounts. The company’s trio of founders are now hoping to pick up select wholesale accounts during Paris market week, but see wholesale as more of a tool to grow brand awareness than drive sales. There is a concerted focus on quality materials, like the supple double-faced cashmere chosen for a coat priced at $7,500. Prices sit on the higher end of luxury - starting at $500 for a T-shirt and maxing out at around $8,000 for outerwear.