Dia&Co Announces Another $40 Million In VC Funding.
The fashion startup has raised an impressive $95 million so far
Dia&Co, The fashion startup focusing on the plus-sized segment, revealed a new $40 million series C funding round. The firm has raised approximately $95 million to date. Founded in 2014 by Lydia Gilbert and Nadia Boujarwah, the company focuses primarily on the $100 billion plus-sized markets. Boujarwah, a former investment banking professional, left her career behind to launch her new fashion startup with Gilbert. The company claims to have 1 million users so far, and ships to all 50 states.
"Eventually I realized I wasn't alone, there are 100 million women in this category, and really being a part of creating change for such an incredible community of women was enough to leave the Wall Street job," the entrepreneur said.
The company bills itself as a " Plus size clothing and styling service for women," allowing customers to receive hand-picked clothing items to try. Customers can then return unwanted items and keep the desired pieces.
How it works
Not, unlike other fashion delivery services like Stitch Fix or Trunk Club, a customer creates a profile on the company's website, and then a professional stylist selects items based on her style to be shipped to her.
The company, in most cases, offers free shipping. The customer pays a $20 styling fee plus the cost of clothing items they decide to keep.
Claims the customer input helps provide the company with valuable intel to help serve the customer better and also services as the basis for new ideas for clothing items.
"We do everything from work with brands to enter plus for the first time," she said. "We build our own brands, all the way down through really creating the content and the community, to inspire her to participate."
She added: "If you think about how many problems that are inherent" among plus-sized women, Boujarwah explained, Dia has taken "a very comprehensive view, and we've really said every part of this challenge for her is our job."