Fast and furious. That’s about the pace at which Revolve has been operating and next week it can add a new collection to its roster of announcements, with its House of Harlow 1960 collaboration.
The line, called House of Harlow 1960 x Revolve, is a 20-piece collection that will be sold on the Revolve and House of Harlow web sites exclusively beginning June 2. The ongoing collaboration will see new items added monthly. The offering doesn’t stray far from the sultry looks Revolve has long supplied its Millennial customer base with maxidresses, bralettes, slipdresses, bodysuits, jumpsuits and midi skirts in a palette of pale pinks, navy and coppery hues.
“We both are L.A. based and I thought it was important to celebrate that,” said House of Harlow creative director Nicole Richie. “There are so many parts of being in L.A., from being outdoors and having all this space. I was really inspired by that.”
Cerritos, Calif.-based Revolve, which carries more than 500 brands in its online store, has built a brand around the California lifestyle. Its parent Eminent Inc. also operates the FWRD by Elyse Walker luxury online shop. The team at Revolve was approached by Richie’s manager about doing a jewelry collaboration but talks evolved into something more.
“When [Revolve cofounder and co-chief executive officer] Michael [Mente] and I met with [Richie], we obviously couldn’t help but say ‘Would you guys be interested in doing some kind of bigger collaboration and going into apparel,” said Revolve vice president of brand marketing Raissa Gerona. “House of Harlow and Nicole speak so well to the Revolve customer.”
The ongoing collaboration will run for a year with new deliveries released monthly.
“I feel like I have a closer connection with the customer. There is no middle man. I’m extremely proud of this collection. I poured my heart and soul into it,” Richie said.
For Revolve, it’s one more notch in the company’s belt.
The House of Harlow collaboration follows last month’s launch of the vintage-inspired jeans line Grlfrnd Denim. The company in March bowed the Revolve Social Club on Melrose Avenue. The space is a hybrid venue for events and private showings as well as a place to try on and buy clothes for its exclusive member roster. The Social Club marked a return to Melrose for Revolve, which had a store there in 2008.
Last year, the company inked a deal to buy Los Angeles-based Alliance Apparel Group on undisclosed terms, which brought the brands Lovers + Friends, Tularosa and NBD into its fold. But the deal also brought design and production to the multi-brand e-tailer. The company entered footwear not long after the acquisition with the launch of Raye.
The company’s now targeting sales of about $600 million this year and doesn’t appear to be slowing on its path to becoming a $1 billion company, of which Richie perhaps described the corporate culture driving that growth best when she said, “It’s like a fun party that you just want to be a part of and everybody there is just really excited. You don’t hear the word ‘no’ a lot.”