Skip to main content
BoF Logo

Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

Why Mergers Might Be the Next Wave of DTC Exits

Apparel brands Knot Standard and Billy Reid are teaming up in a move investors say we may see more of as fashion start-ups seek alternative funding routes to grow their businesses.
A campaign image from Knot Standard
Made-to-measure apparel start-up Knot Standard is merging its retail business with notable menswear brand Billy Reid. (Knot Standard)

In a still-challenging funding environment, DTC brands are getting creative in how they pursue growth.

Please sign in to ensure you can read our agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice. Or get in touch at support@businessoffashion.com if you experience difficulties.

Further Reading

DTC Brands See a Long-Delayed Path to Exit in 2024

While the DTC landscape’s turbulence isn’t completely over for brands, the prospect of a better economy in 2024 is encouraging profitable brands that shied away from M&A last year to start preparing for an exit.

Case Study | How to Build a Profitable DTC Brand

With the direct-to-consumer funding heyday now over, DTC brands need to turn a profit. Unlike their revenue-obsessed counterparts, DTC pioneers Marine Layer, Meundies and Trinny London offer a blueprint for achieving both top- and bottom-line growth.

What a Fashion Company Is Worth Today

In an era of austerity on Wall Street, apparel businesses are more likely to be valued on their profits rather than sales, which usually means lower payouts for founders and investors. That is, if they can find a buyer in the first place.

About the author
Malique Morris
Malique Morris

Malique Morris is Senior E-Commerce Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. He is based in New York and covers digital-native brands and shifts in the online shopping industry.

© 2026 The Business of Fashion. All rights reserved. For more information read our Terms & Conditions

More from Direct-to-Consumer
How direct-to-consumer brands and retail concepts are reshaping the industry, online and off.

Can Quince Be More Than a Dupe Brand?

New partnerships with A$AP Rocky and celebrity stylist Erin Walsh signal the retailer’s ambitions to be known for more than selling less expensive versions of other brands’ products.


view more
Latest News & Analysis
Unrivalled, world class journalism across fashion, luxury and beauty industries.
VIEW MORE
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
CONNECT WITH US ON