Sole Society
Lifestyle brand of women’s shoes, handbags and accessories.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| investor investor | €0.0 | round | |
N/A | Acquisition | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
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Sole Society established itself as a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand focused on women's footwear, handbags, and accessories. Founded in 2011, the company originated as a sister site to the flash-sale platform HauteLook. It was spun off as a separate entity after Nordstrom acquired HauteLook in the same year. The business was co-founded by Andy Solomon, who later took on the role of CEO. Another founder mentioned in some contexts is Brett Markinson.
The company's business model centered on providing on-trend, runway-inspired fashion at accessible price points. Its in-house design team translated the latest styles into wearable, everyday pieces for the modern woman. Revenue was generated through a multi-channel distribution strategy. The primary sales channel was its e-commerce website, solesociety.com, which was complemented by partnerships with the television shopping network QVC and the department store Nordstrom, which also became a minority investor. In 2015, the company secured $8 million in a Series B funding round from Nordstrom and Insight Venture Partners to fuel growth and brand awareness. This capital supported the opening of its first physical store in Santa Monica.
In a significant milestone, Camuto Group, a major player in the footwear industry founded by the creator of Nine West, acquired a majority stake in Sole Society in August 2016. This acquisition was Camuto Group's first foray into the digital space, aiming to leverage Sole Society's e-commerce expertise while providing resources for global expansion and product line extensions into apparel. Following this, in 2018, the intellectual property of Sole Society, as part of the Camuto Group's portfolio, was jointly acquired by DSW Inc. (now Designer Brands) and Authentic Brands Group (ABG). This transaction integrated Sole Society into a larger brand management and retail ecosystem.
Keywords: footwear e-commerce, women's accessories, direct-to-consumer fashion, affordable luxury, online shoe retailer, handbag brand, Nordstrom partnership, Camuto Group, Authentic Brands Group, Andy Solomon, Brett Markinson, HauteLook spin-off, fashion accessories, digital native brand, multi-channel retail, QVC sales, designer-inspired footwear, women's lifestyle brand, fashion startup, shoe subscription