How I Built This with Guy Raz Suitsupply: Fokke de Jong
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May 1, 2023 Fokke de Jong, the founder and CEO of Suitsupply, started his journey selling suits from his dorm in Amsterdam. He revolutionized men's fashion by sourcing high-quality Italian fabrics at affordable prices and embraced e-commerce early on. His unconventional retail strategies included opening a store next to a highway, challenging norms, and a playful legal dispute that gained publicity. With over 150 global locations, Fokke reflects on the challenges of growth, the importance of quality craftsmanship, and the balancing act of work and personal life.
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Dorm Room Beginnings
- Fokke de Jong's suit business started when he bought a suit for his grandfather's funeral from a source in Italy.
- He resold suits to fellow students, expanding to businesses by ringing doorbells and hosting trunk shows.
Excess Fabric Discovery
- Fokke discovered that Italian factories inflated fabric needs when producing for brands, creating excess.
- They then used the excess material to make identical suits and sold them at a fraction of the price.
Disrupting the Supply Chain
- Fokke's focus wasn't initially on becoming a fashion icon but rather on understanding the suit business.
- Recognizing the inefficiency in the traditional supply chain, he aimed to disrupt it with a direct-to-consumer model.