Asphalte

Asphalte operates as a direct-to-consumer clothing brand with a distinct business model centered on sustainability and co-creation. Founded in 2016 by William Hauvette and Rodolphe Gardies, the company's mission is to make durable, high-quality apparel accessible while minimizing environmental impact. Hauvette, who previously co-founded the knitwear brand Six & Sept, leveraged his experience in the fashion industry and an entrepreneurial family background to launch Asphalte with a new approach. He identified a gap in the market for men who value style and longevity in their clothing but are not inclined to pay premium prices.

The core of Asphalte's business is a pre-order system designed to eliminate overproduction, a significant issue in the fashion industry. The company engages its customer community directly through questionnaires to co-create its collection, allowing them to provide input on everything from the product plan to materials and colors. A new product is launched for pre-order every Tuesday for a six-day period. Production is initiated only after orders are placed and paid for, which means customers wait a few weeks for their items but benefit from a better price-to-quality ratio. This on-demand manufacturing process takes place entirely in Europe with partners who share the company's values of responsibility and traceability.

Initially focused on menswear, Asphalte has expanded to include a womenswear line in 2021 and is exploring leather goods. The product range consists of timeless wardrobe essentials like jeans, sweaters, and T-shirts, designed to be durable and classic. The company has achieved significant growth, reporting a turnover of €23 million with 150,000 customers by early 2023, and a 25% revenue increase to €29 million by the end of 2023. To support its growth, Asphalte secured €5 million in funding in March 2023 from investors including Quadia and M Capital Partners. While primarily an e-commerce brand, Asphalte has successfully experimented with physical retail by opening pop-up stores and a permanent hybrid store/showroom in Paris, which has positively impacted both in-store and online sales.

Keywords: pre-order clothing, sustainable fashion, direct-to-consumer, co-creation apparel, European manufacturing, men's fashion, timeless essentials, on-demand production, ethical clothing, e-commerce fashion, slow fashion, William Hauvette, responsible production, wardrobe staples, French clothing brand, online retail, customer-driven design, zero overproduction, durable garments, transparent supply chain, menswear, womenswear