How Mott & Bow Denim Startup Grew to Prominence
Mott and Bow Denim is a new startup company that is taking the men’s fashion industry by storm. The new brand has found a niche in the marketplace with their unique new jeans and there is speculation that it may well give some of the more established jean brands a run for their money. If you haven’t yet heard of Mott and Bow Denim, don’t feel bad, but do learn about their interesting story and what they may have to offer the world as possibly, the next big name in jeans.
What is Mott and Bow Denim?
The Mott and Bow Denim company was founded by Alejandra Chahin. He launched the new business in February of 2014, right after he had completed his masters in business administration degree. His story is an interesting one. Alexander is a natve of Honduras, and he was just 25 when he made the decision to leave his home and journey to attend school at New York University as a graduate student. Chahin had a few things in his favor however. He had and entrepreneurial spirit and was deeply passionate about customer service, which are the foundations of a successful business. He secured start up funding in the amount of $300,000 from Intermoda, and was able to hire two employees to begin his new venture. The denim company was named after the intersection of the West Village area when Mr. Chahin lives.
Chahin’s impressive history
Alexander Chahin has a long history in the clothing industry. His family owns the Intermoda denim manufacturing business in Honduras and the company was established by his father. Alexander grew up working with his father in the family business from a young age, and the startup funds he acquired were from the family business. It is the younger Chahin’s goal to surpass the major brands such as Seven7Jeans, J Crew and Levi’s just to name a few. He shared that he knows how to make great denim and it’s his goal for Mott & Bow to become a direct provider of denim to the public. He’s passionate abut the business and he understands and has worked in every aspect of the business so he’s right at home in his new venture. The jeans that he stocks his business with are direct manufactures from the family business in Honduras.
A unique business platform
We visited the Mott & Bow website to learn more about what makes this startup so unique. They’ve been in business for just five years and they’ve come a long way in a short period of time. While it generally takes a new business several years to become firmly established, having the backing of his family’s Honduras based jean company has given Alejandro a definite advantage in the business world. The company seeks to provide high quality premium jeans which average about $96 in price, but there are many advantages for consumers to shop with their online platform and here are the aspects of Mott & Bow that we believe sets them apart from the crowd.
Unique sizing method for a perfect fit
When you’re trying to figure out which size fits in a totally new brand, it can be a bit difficult to get the ideal fit the first time, particularly when you’re ordering the clothing online. Mott & Bow encourages their customers to order the size that they believe will fit, and then they will send a second waist size along for no additional cost. Try both pair on, keep the one that fits the best, and return the other in a prepaid package at no additional expense. Mott & Bow pays the shipping for you.
Premium jeans for $90 and profitibility on the horizon
There was a time when $90 would seem like a high price tag for good jeans but that is no longer the case. Mott & Bow is right on the money, considering their jeans are premium quality and backed by some amazing service by the company. The pricing is right and they had set a goal of becoming profitable by 2018 with just a four year gap in between startup and breaking through the toughest phase of any new business, which shows both confidence and drive. The executive of the company is able to make these projections because of a solid ten percent growth in business from month to month.
A range of choices
Mott and Bow sells their jeans in the United States with three sizes including skinny, slim and straight in four washes with three fabric choices, with plans to expand upon these options in the future. Shipping is always free with Mott & Bow.
The Mott & Bow business model
Mr. Chahin understands the necessity of providing premium products at affordable prices. This is the basis of the business model that he developed which completely bypasses the middle man and delivers premium jeans directly from the business to the customers. This allows Mott & Bow to set their own prices and stick with them, unlike some other vendors who are bound by contracted agreements for purchasing wholesale and then selling retail with a high enough markup to pay overhead costs and still make a reasonable profit. This issue faced by most clothing vendors is not an issue for Mott & Bow. In an industry where high end premium jeans can easily reach prices of $400 or better, Mott & Bow keeps the price to consumers under $100. While this isn’t a new business practice it certainly is effective and it’s been working very well for them.
The Mott & Bow difference in comfort
Anyone who is in the denim and jean manufacturing business will confirm that there is a definite science to getting the perfect fabric blend to achieve the most comfortable pair of denim jeans. Not all denim is created equally. Some is hard, stiff and incapable of moving with the body, which can be uncomfortable. Mott & Bow has solved this common dilemma by tailoring the blends of materials in the fabrics that they use in the making of their denim jeans. The jeans that they make fit snugly but they’re not so tight that they inhibit natural movement. The goal of Mott & Bow jeans is achieving extreme comfort and they’ve done it well. The secret to the slight amount of stretch is the jeans is the addition of elastane fabric. The stretch factor of the fabric is 35 percent which has created a new kind of dynamic denim material for the jeans. It’s also the reason why it’s not difficult to achieve a perfect fit. This solves yet another potential issue associated with purchasing clothing online. It seems that Mott & Bow has certainly covered all of their bases with a forward looking anticipatory model that solved the problems before they were able to occur, building yet more confidence in the brand.
Expansion and plans for the future
Mr. Chahin has established a successful clothing business on a platform that is the most convenient for consumers with online availability. He’s well on his way to establishing a loyal fan base for the Mott & Bow brand, which is made of all the right stuff. The initial phase of the denim company provided only men’s jeans which was a huge success and it allowed the company to continue to expand its offerings. They have now included women’s lines with the same quality and comfort design features and what was once a growing single sex fan base is now extended to all genders across the board. This was an epic move on the part of Mott & Bow Denim. They’ve already entered phase two in less than five short years, adding a completely new line but they’re just getting started. Chahin is a visionary and he has aspirations to add yet more clothing options for both men and women in the near future. Chahin also has the goal of becoming the next big brand name that rivals the more established companies such as Levi Strauss, which has been a staple since the 1800s. The denim business is in his blood and is a part of his heritage. It’s a goal that is well within his abilities and within his reach.
How Mott & Bow advertises their products
Alexander Chahin has an excellent grasp on the denim clothing business, but as a savvy entrepreneur, he also understands the necessity of pulling in the best minds in the advertising business for consultation. He contracted with the MuteSix company to develop and implement a strategy for effective advertising of online goods as well as drawing in target audiences and achieving a high conversion rate among visitors to the website. They were successful in achieving an increase in traffic by ten thousand, which continued for several weeks. This raised awareness that let the female audience know that the brand now offered products for women while it was previously indicated for males only, which was a potential marketing issue that was effectively resolved. There was an increase in conversions of an astronomical 300 percent and an increase in ROAS of 33 percent according to the case study conducted by MuteSix. The company advertises through a variety of mediums including social media, web advertisements and word of mouth. Several news media agencies online have picked up information to share about Mott & Bow and their tremendous start along with projections which indicate that there is a strong confidence that the brand is going to make good on their threat to rise to the top of the industry, or at least become a contender with the major heavyweight brands which have been around for several decades already.
International expansion
Mott & Bow has been such a tremendous success that they’ve taken the step of expanding into international territory. The denim jean business now serves 23 different countries with their products throughout the world. While there is no charge for shipping in the United States, they do charge a nominal shipping fee for international orders that starts at $12 with increases dependent on the weight of the package and its destination. They’re doing a good job on delivering international packages to their final destinations via DHL shipping services within one to three weeks. The products are the same which are sold to the U.S. audience but they do not offer the try on feature that is offered to United States customers. This is an amazing feat considering that they’ve only been in business since 2014. Alexander Chahin’s drive, talent and passions are behind the huge success of Mott & Bow as he makes his dreams become a reality.
Final thoughts
Mott & Bow Denim is one of those remarkable startups that caught on quickly and is making fast progress in the fashion industry. The business itself has grown from just two employees to 15, so it can still be considered a small business, but they’re making some big progress. This is what can happen when you have a skill and passion, and put these necessities to work. The founder believed in himself and in the quality of the jeans which are manufactured at his family business back in Honduras. He serves as an inspiration for young entrepreneurs who have a dream of their own. The Mott & Bow Denim company is still in its infancy and it’s already grown past the borders of its home country into international sales and shipping. This is still just the beginning for them and if they continue on in the same trajectory we see big things ahead for the business. It’s uncommon for a new business to grow so quickly and to become profitable. So far there has been no indication that Chahin plans to make an initial public offering, but we’ll see what happens within the next few years. Mott & Bow Denim is a new company to keep your eye on.
