Need Supply Co. is adding to its extensive collection of streetwear and luxury fashion with a new line of private label footwear and the launch of men’s wear from newly acquired Totokaelo Archive—all designed to appeal the trend-agnostic millennial and Gen Z consumer.
After partnering with luxury designer, Totokaelo, to form NSTO in 2018, Need Supply Co. has continued to look for ways to expand its selection and bring new experiences to its young consumer base. Its first step was to launch women’s footwear for NEED, the private label NSTO created to cater to the luxury platform’s unique audience.
“Those shoes [in the collection] were designed for that customer in mind, which is that ‘cool girl next door,'” Fanny Damiette, VP of brand and marketing at NSTO told journalists at an event in midtown Manhattan Tuesday. “They were designed to take her from the workplace to dinner later in the day or from the weekend to the week. It’s an easy shoe that goes with everything in the NEED collection, even the color palette was thought to complement the products that NEED might have.”
The new collection will be produced in Spain and Italy, with prices ranging from $90 to $180 depending on the style. Damiette said although NSTO launched with women’s footwear first, men’s footwear was sure to follow.
The next NEED footwear collection is set to drop in July, featuring some in between styles, as women look to buy shoes that can transition into fall. Additionally, the group confirmed that it would embrace a “drop” distribution model for its footwear going forward, due both to the popularity of sneakers and to the advantage of being able to stay on top of consumer needs without simply following trends.
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Following that same mantra, Totokaelo Archive is simultaneously launching its first men’s wear collection. The luxury brand calls the collection “detailed” and “masculine” while still remaining true to its audience of millennials and Gen Z, thanks to the “elevated functionality” infused into the 13 unique styles found in the collection, which includes shirts, trousers, crews, hoodies, blazers and a skirt.
“The idea is that [the luxury consumer] doesn’t necessarily have a full look of Totokaelo Archive,” Damiette explained. “But, they will probably use one piece to complement a full outfit that you can also curate within the Totokaelo store. The name comes from that. It’s that ideal wardrobe that hopefully, all our customers will have at one point. Its the perfect denim, the perfect white shirt, the perfect coat, etc.”
In making the collection, Damiette said Totokaelo spent extra time getting the little details right in production. That means flawless stitching, a perfect fit and high-quality materials, she explained.
“This is not a typical private label program,” Christopher Bossola, NSTO’s CEO and founder, added. “The idea is not to create basic t-shirts that we can sell a lot of at a high margin. It’s really an opportunity is for us to express the essence of what our point of view is and do it in a way that resonates with our customer.”
Those customers, according to NSTO data, are primarily millennial and Gen Z consumers. Roughly 70 percent to 75 percent of all NSTO shoppers come from those two demographics, giving the platform a unique perspective on how to cater to young fashionistas. For example, Bossola explained that NSTO and its platforms—be it the traditional Need Supply Co. portal or Totokaelo’s own e-commerce arm—see each interaction with its shoppers as a chance to create content for them to share.
“One thing that’s very obvious to us is that our customer doesn’t need yet another sneaker, yet another pair of jeans or yet another sweater,” Damiette said. “The reason why they come on the platform or in the store is not necessarily out of a need to buy something. It’s a willingness to be inspired, to discover a new kind of brand or product.”