Fashion Nova Explained

Fashion Nova, Inc.
Type:Store
Industry:Retail
Predecessors:-->
Successors:-->
Founder:Richard Saghian
Area Served:Worldwide
Hq Location City:Los Angeles, California
Hq Location Country:U.S.
Num Locations:5
Products:Clothing
Owners:-->
Num Employees:600[1]
Website:www.fashionnova.com

Fashion Nova is an American fast fashion retail company. The company primarily operates online, but it also has five brick-and-mortar locations. Fashion Nova is known to use affiliate marketing, particularly on Instagram. Models, celebrities, and other customers receive payments or free clothing in exchange for generating publicity about the company.[2] [3] [4]

History

Fashion Nova was founded in 2006 by its CEO Richard Saghian,[5] who started his career in the retail industry by working at his father's clothing boutique located in Los Angeles. Fashion Nova opened its first location in Panorama City, Los Angeles inside the Panorama Mall, selling inexpensive club-wear attire. In 2013, Saghian launched the e-commerce website for Fashion Nova.[6]

In 2016, Fashion Nova launched the Curve Collection.[7] In 2018, the company expanded to menswear with the release of their Fashion Nova Men's line.[8]

In August 2020, Fashion Nova announced reforms to its contracting practices in support of California's proposed bill, SB 1399, that includes a mandate that its contractors and subcontractors agree to random independent audits and that their workers are paid the applicable minimum wage, which in Los Angeles is scheduled to rise to $15 an hour for employers of all size in 2021. Fashion Nova also established a toll-free hotline for workers to report abuses as well as a system of penalties for those who violate its reform efforts.[9] [10]

In October 2020, Fashion Nova launched Maven Beauty, an affordable beauty brand.[11]

Founder Richard Saghian rarely speaks with reporters but is known to collect real estate, including homes previously owned by Avicii and Netflix executive Ted Sarandos. He is not married and has no children.[12]

Collaborations

In November 2018, Fashion Nova released its line with rapper Cardi B.[13] The collection launched at a "Party with Cardi" event, with performances by Cardi B, Saweetie, DreamDoll and Brianna Perry. It was a very successful launch, selling out in seconds.[14] Since this collaboration, Fashion Nova has been endorsed by many celebrities and influencers such as Teyana Taylor, Blac Chyna, and Christina Milian.[15] The store has a seasonal Halloween costume line, making its items debut alongside its most popular ambassadors at Halloween events.[16]

Fashion Nova launched a second season of the Cardi B collection in May 2019, with performances by Cardi B, YG, Blueface, and Lil Nas X.[17]

In April 2020, Fashion Nova launched Fashion Nova Cares, an initiative focused on supporting social causes.[18] That same month, Fashion Nova Cares partnered with Cardi B to donate $1 million to those affected by COVID-19.

In June 2020, Fashion Nova pledged to donate $1 million to a number of social justice organizations, including Black Lives Matter, Know Your Rights Camp, and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.[19]

In November 2020, Fashion Nova released a line with Megan Thee Stallion, including statement pieces and an assortment of crafted denim for those 5feet and taller.[20] The collection reportedly generated $1.2 million in sales within 24 hours of the launch.[21]

Megan Thee Stallion and Fashion Nova Cares partnered in March 2021 for the rapper's Women on Top philanthropic initiative, which seeks to empower women by supporting educational and business endeavors with scholarships, grants, and donations. Every day throughout Women's History Month, Fashion Nova Cares provided $25,000 or more to female entrepreneurs, students, and women-focused charities.[22] She also launched a swimwear line in June.[23]

Controversy

In December 2019, the United States Department of Labor launched an investigation and found that some Fashion Nova suppliers or subcontractors hired workers who were paid as little as $2.77 an hour and that the suppliers owed $3.8 million in back wages to hundreds of workers.[24] [25] [26]

In October 2020, Playboy filed a complaint against Fashion Nova Inc. in Los Angeles, for its trademark rights in its Bunny costume. The Bunny mark contains the costume's "iconic bunny ears, tail, ribbon name tag, wrist cuffs, corset, and bowtie collar," according to the lawsuit.[27]

In January 2022, Fashion Nova settled with the Federal Trade Commission for $4.2 million after the company was found to have artificially inflated its ratings by deliberately blocking negative reviews on its site.[28]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: How Fashion Nova Built an Entire Fashion Company Completely on Instagram. BuzzFeed. March 13, 2017.
  2. Web site: Fashion Nova conquered Instagram by embracing the "thirst trap" . Bain . Marc . Quartz . July 29, 2018 . en . March 11, 2020.
  3. Web site: How Fashion Nova Won the Internet . Hughes . Aria . February 28, 2018 . WWD . en . March 11, 2020.
  4. Web site: Inside the Fashion Nova Hype Machine . July 19, 2018 . The Business of Fashion . en-GB . March 11, 2020.
  5. Web site: Fashion Nova - The most popular fashion brand in the world . March 14, 2019 . German.
  6. News: Richard Saghianis One of the 500 People Shaping the Global Fashion Industry in 2018. The Business of Fashion. November 2, 2018. en-GB.
  7. Web site: Fashion Nova Launches New Inclusive Denim Line . Warren . Liz . August 13, 2019 . Sourcing Journal . en-US . March 12, 2020.
  8. Web site: Fashion Nova Is Launching a Men's Clothing Line . Torgerson . Rachel . June 12, 2018 . Cosmopolitan . en-US . March 12, 2020.
  9. Web site: SB 1399 makes retailers accountable for garment worker pay. Los Angeles Times. Laurene Darmiento. August 17, 2020 . October 29, 2020.
  10. Web site: Apparel industry wage-reform bill, SB 1399, dies in Assembly. Los Angeles Times. Laurence Darmiento. September 2020 . October 29, 2020.
  11. Web site: Fashion Nova Steps Into the Beauty Space with "Maven Beauty"—and Everything Is Under $20. EMERALD ELITOU. October 22, 2020. Byrdie.
  12. Web site: Debter . Lauren . Fashion Nova's Founder Has Spun A Billion-Dollar Fortune From Fast Fashion . April 25, 2022 . Forbes . en.
  13. Web site: The First Look at Cardi B's Collaboration with Fashion Nova. November 15, 2018.
  14. Web site: Cardi B Launches Her Fashion Nova Line In Los Angeles . HotNewHipHop . November 15, 2018 . en . March 12, 2020.
  15. Web site: Why Cardi B (and every other celebrity on Instagram) loves Fashion Nova . Nittle . Nadra . November 15, 2018 . Vox . en . March 12, 2020.
  16. Web site: Fashion Nova Released The Best Celebrity-Inspired Halloween Costumes . Rivas . Mekita . www.refinery29.com . en . March 12, 2020.
  17. Web site: watch Cardi B bring out Lil Nas X for "Old Town Road" at her Fashion Nova launch . BrooklynVegan . May 9, 2019 . en-US . March 12, 2020.
  18. Web site: Cardi B and Fashion Nova Are Donating $1,000 Every Hour to People Impacted by COVID-19. Complex. Joshua Espinoza. October 30, 2020.
  19. Web site: Marisa Petrarca . June 9, 2020 . How Fashion Brands, Designers and Industry Leaders are Supporting the Black Lives Matter Movement . October 30, 2020 . Us Magazine.
  20. Web site: Megan Thee Stallion's Fashion Nova Collection Is Here. April 15, 2021. Essence. November 18, 2020 . en-US.
  21. Web site: Megan Thee Stallion's Fashion Nova Collection Sales Top $1.2 Million on Day 1. April 15, 2021. TMZ. November 20, 2020 . en.
  22. Megan Thee Stallion & Fashion Nova Launch $1M 'Women on Top' Fund for International Women's Day. March 8, 2021. Mamo. Heran. .
  23. Web site: Megan Thee Stallion Launched a Swimwear Collection With Fashion Nova-Watch Her Model Her Bikinis Here. June 24, 2021. Miller. Korin.
  24. News: Kitroeff . Natalie . December 16, 2019 . Fashion Nova's Secret: Underpaid Workers in Los Angeles Factories . en-US . The New York Times . July 10, 2020 . 0362-4331.
  25. Web site: Bartiromo . Michael . December 17, 2019 . Fashion Nova responds to report of clothing being produced by underpaid factory workers . July 10, 2020 . Fox News . en-US.
  26. Web site: Who Is Hurt Most By Fashion Nova's Latest Controversy? . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20200710113407/https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/midst-controversy-fashion-nova-ceo-171152331.html . July 10, 2020 . July 10, 2020 . www.yahoo.com . en-US.
  27. Web site: Brittain . Blake . October 28, 2020 . Playboy Sues Fashion Nova Over 'Bunny' Halloween Costume . November 3, 2020 . Bloomberg Law.
  28. Web site: 2022-01-25 . Fashion Nova will Pay $4.2 Million as part of Settlement of FTC Allegations it Blocked Negative Reviews of Products . 2023-07-03 . Federal Trade Commission . en.