Asphalte
Sustainable apparel co-created with customers via pre-order.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
* | €5.0m | Early VC | |
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Asphalte is a French direct-to-consumer fashion brand founded in 2016 by William Hauvette and Rodolphe Gardies. The company operates on a distinctive business model centered around sustainability and co-creation, offering timeless menswear and womenswear manufactured entirely in Europe. Hauvette, a graduate of EDHEC Business School, had prior experience in the fashion industry with a knitwear brand before launching Asphalte with Gardies, who brought digital marketing expertise.
The core of Asphalte's model is pre-ordering, which aims to eliminate overproduction and waste, a significant issue in the textile industry. Before any garment is produced, the company engages its community of over 200,000 members through questionnaires to decide on everything from the design and materials to the colors. This co-creation process ensures that the final products meet customer demand precisely. Once a design is finalized, it's launched for pre-order for a limited time, and only the ordered quantity is produced. This system allows Asphalte to offer high-quality, durable clothing at a reasonable price by cutting costs associated with inventory and unsold stock.
The product line includes a range of essentials like jeans, sweaters, t-shirts, and sneakers, all designed for longevity. The brand is transparent about its supply chain, using certified natural or recycled materials and providing details on manufacturing processes and the carbon footprint of its clothes. Initially a digital-native brand, Asphalte has expanded its physical retail presence with pop-up stores and a permanent location in Paris, which have proven to boost both in-store and online sales. The company has sold over 1.2 million items since its inception and reported revenues of €29 million in 2023. Asphalte has successfully raised capital, including a €5 million round, to support its international expansion and retail development.
Keywords: sustainable fashion, pre-order clothing, co-creation apparel, direct-to-consumer, European manufacturing, ethical fashion, men's apparel, women's apparel, slow fashion, transparent supply chain, durable clothing, community-driven design, e-commerce fashion, online retail, timeless staples, sustainable materials, eco-friendly clothing, waste reduction, fashion technology, B Corp