QuincyClosed

Quincy Apparel was a direct-to-consumer e-commerce brand targeting young professional women with fashion-forward, office-appropriate apparel. Founded in June 2011 by Christina Wallace and Alexandra Nelson, the company aimed to solve a common frustration the founders experienced firsthand: the difficulty of finding well-fitting, stylish, and affordable workwear. The two met and bonded over this shared challenge while attending Harvard Business School and later solidified their business concept after both had worked for the Boston Consulting Group.

The company's core value proposition was its proprietary sizing system. Moving beyond standard, generic numbered sizes, Quincy developed a measurement scheme based on a woman's bust size, height, and hip-to-waist ratio to create a superior fit. The business operated on a vertically integrated model, controlling the entire process from design to sale. To maintain high quality and offer competitive pricing by eliminating the retail markup, Quincy's collections were designed and manufactured in New York City's Garment District and sold exclusively through its own e-commerce website. The product line focused on mix-and-match staples like jackets, blouses, and dresses, incorporating details like stretch fabrics, wrinkle-free designs, and hidden snaps for enhanced comfort and practicality.

Quincy launched its first collection in the spring of 2012 and saw promising early traction, with strong initial sales and repeat customers. The startup successfully raised a total of $950,000 in seed funding from angel investors and venture capital firms. However, the operational complexity of its advanced sizing system led to high production costs and significant inventory challenges. Despite strong revenue growth, high merchandise return rates, primarily due to fit issues, squeezed profit margins. Faced with a dwindling cash runway and a disagreement between the founders on whether to simplify the sizing model or shut down, the company ceased operations in March 2013 after failing to secure further investment.

Keywords: Quincy Apparel, Christina Wallace, Alex Nelson, direct-to-consumer, D2C, women's workwear, professional apparel, custom sizing, online retail, e-commerce fashion, Harvard Business School, NYC Garment District, vertically integrated brand, startup failure, fashion technology, apparel sizing, office attire, women's suiting, bespoke clothing