Me+Em’s Clare Hornby: We’ve maintained our ‘price-quality equation’ by only selling DTC

Clare Hornby's 14-year-old fashion brand, Me+Em, has hit its stride. From 2021 to 2022, it grew its revenue from £46 million to £80 million. What's more, it's been profitable for seven years. That's despite selling exclusively direct-to-consumer, when, it seems, every digital native brand is falling back on wholesale partners. 

"It was when I started building out the team that you started to see the [business's] acceleration," Hornby said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. It's worth noting that MatchesFashion investor Highland Europe bought a minority stake in the company in early 2022.

Me+Em, which specializes in "flattering, functional, forever" women's clothing, has opened seven stores in the U.K., where it is headquartered. But now, its focus is on U.S. expansion. Starting in March, it will open two stores in NYC, followed by one in the Hamptons, in rapid succession. The plan is to follow those up with fourth and fifth locations soon after.

“We like you to bring in your dog, bring in your kid and bring in your partner, and we like you to dwell,” Hornby said. “As a result, our stores [form] communities, all by themselves.”