Announcing Foremost
Two years ago — almost to-date — I sat down with a group of investors to discuss Need for the first time.
The idea was fairly nascent — roughly one month old — but, at the behest of several friends, I had decided to speak with some investors regarding its potential.
As I've shared before, I was greeted with a number of questions that I had not truly considered up to that point, nor was I fully equipped to answer. At the center of those questions was a thought that has been pervasive over the ensuing two years, "how does [Need] scale?"
At the time, as someone whose day-to-day experience was colored almost exclusively by the independent design and technology communities, my answers were always somewhat naïve. I would answer that the virtue and value of Need is derived from its focus, smallness, and integrity. That, as we would grow in popularity, we could explore localization and other such concepts. But, inescapably, Need was not something that would suit selling hundreds of thousands of units per month.
And, today, how do I answer after learning many a lesson over the past year? Mostly the same way, to be honest.
Need's value is, indeed, derived from its focus. It does one thing exceptionally well and has a swelling audience of people who truly and tirelessly care about its output each month.
The way my answer has evolved, however, is that I've found a way, I believe, for us to continue our growth — at scale — without sacrificing the positive components of Need.
At Need, we've seen an enormous amount of demand from a young demographic of men and women. They've clamored for the story-telling, photography, and perceived dignity of the experience. From the limited email to the one-off products, it's an enviable offering for those who wish to dress well, but are constrained to the brick and mortar realms of their local fast fashion retailers.
These people are demanding quality and story, but, instead, being greeted with ubiquitous design,, made in horrendous conditions abroad.
That's a problem worth addressing, in my eyes.
And, as such, we did so.
It's an honor to announce Foremost, a small-batch, American-made clothing line for men and women.
Each month, Foremost will release two collections of clothing — one for men and one for women — comprised of 4-5 products per gender. And, best of all, each product will be priced, on average, beneath $50.
Alongside each collection, we will be producing video interviews with some of the world's most prominent personalities. From actors and actresses to designers to businesspeople, I believe strongly in sharing the stories frequently left untold about the genesis of these people and their careers.
Foremost will launch two weeks from today on Wednesday, February 11. If you sign-up in advance, though, you'll receive early access to the first collection which, if Need is anything to go by, will sell out exceptionally quickly.
I believe this is the first step in a larger scheme for all of us at Need. It's a far reaching experiment that, if it works, opens the door for us to continue to avoid unnecessary scale for each of our concepts and, instead, focus upon scale and growth by servicing niche markets.
It's a model that allows us to do one thing exceptionally — and sustainably — well for a certain demographic. And, for me, that's truly the most exciting and important thing we could hope to accomplish.
On February 11, Need members will be able to login to Foremost with their existing credentials and, at the same time, we'll also be opening a paid membership for both sites.
If you sign up for a paid Need membership — at $5 per month — you'll receive free shipping (which is typically $5 flat, anyway), early access to our collections, and a standing 10% discount off both sites. We'll offer the same for Foremost, too.
And, if you don't want to sign-up for both, in March these memberships will merge and you'll get the same perks for both sites.
I can't wait to unveil the first collections for Foremost — not to mention the first interviewees — on February 11. In the meantime, be sure to sign-up.
And keep an eye out for our first men's and women's collection at Need. It'll be out in time for Valentine's on Wednesday, February 4.
