Most of the focus around retail is on the big players.  They are typically public companies who issue regular earnings reports and often in the news for new store openings, leadership changes and launches.

What’s gone unnoticed is the rise of smaller independent retailers and non-apparel retail outlets.  From local stores to regional chains, and non-apparel stores that are adding niche apparel lines, there continues to be a steady rise in opportunities to sell apparel.

Independent brands got their start through e-commerce and many were used to selling on platforms or marketplaces that offered a vast assortment of apparel and non-apparel merchandise.

Unlike established brands, they were not tethered to the concept that apparel needs to be sold in apparel stores – or department stores.  These newer brands looked at retail with fresh eyes and in doing so saw lots of overlooked opportunities.

The combination of working with much smaller volumes and being more adaptable to different selling environments enabled them to sell into channels that were far too small and unstructured for larger brands.