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How Advance Apparels Went From Disjointed Systems to Seamless Integration with ApparelMagic

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Advance Apparels is a family-owned business specializing in boho-inspired apparel using sustainable and artisanal tie-dye techniques from India. When the company started to grow, they realized that spreadsheets and QuickBooks Desktop (and eventually, QuickBooks Online) were no longer enough on their own and it was time to explore ERP software options.

The Challenge

The team struggled with disjointed inventory systems across their B2B and B2C channels, relying on outdated software and manual updates. The lack of overall integration led to inefficiencies in data entry, inventory management, and production planning. 

As a result, the company experienced stockouts, where customers would pay for products that were unavailable for shipping. For a small business, this situation was particularly challenging, as having to cancel orders meant losing both the sale and the money invested in acquiring that customer.

“The worst thing in business, especially for a small business where you value every single sale, is selling something you don’t have or not fulfilling an order for something you incorrectly believe isn’t in stock. Business is hard enough and not capturing/fulfilling sales headed your way is defeating. We’ve dramatically reduced both of these scenarios since switching to ApparelMagic.”

Akash Bajaj, President at Advance Apparels

The ApparelMagic Solution

To address these challenges, Advance Apparels implemented ApparelMagic, an end-to-end ERP solution designed specifically for the apparel industry. ApparelMagic provided the company with a consolidated platform to manage all aspects of their business operations. Key features of the solution included:

  1. Centralized Data Management: ApparelMagic allowed Advance Apparels to consolidate inventory management for both B2B and B2C channels into one system. This integration streamlined data entry and ensured real-time inventory accuracy across their multiple sales channels, including Shopify stores and future integrations with platforms like Walmart and Etsy.
  2. Production Planning and Forecasting: The software enhanced transparency into production planning and inventory allocation. By tracking materials and production status, Advance Apparels gained better control over their supply chain. Not only did this aid their ability to meet large wholesale orders more efficiently, it has also supported Advance Apparels’ commitment to sustainable fashion. Better management of materials and production processes have aligned with their eco-friendly initiatives.
  3. Line Sheet Creation: ApparelMagic’s line sheet feature significantly reduced the time and effort required to create and distribute product information to buyers. This feature automated the generation of line sheets, saving Advance Apparels from manually compiling product images and details, thus improving their B2B sales process.

The Results

Since adopting ApparelMagic, Advance Apparels has experienced several notable improvements:

  1. Increased Operational Efficiency: The centralization of inventory management and the reduction in manual data entry have led to significant time savings. This efficiency gain has allowed the team to focus more on strategic activities rather than routine tasks. 
  2. Enhanced Inventory Accuracy: Real-time inventory updates have minimized the risk of overselling and enhanced customer satisfaction. 

“With ApparelMagic, I can make decisions based on data. I will look at all the sales and quickly see which products I haven’t sold in the last three months. Those products can then be offered at a discounted price.”

Akash Bajaj, President at Advance Apparels

  1. Improved Supply Chain Management: The transparency and control provided by ApparelMagic’s production planning tools have improved the company’s ability to better align production with sales needs.
  2. Optimized B2B Sales Process: “A feature that we use daily, that saves me so much time is line sheets. Creating line sheets is so helpful. Before, when customers asked what was available, it would take at least 30 minutes to get them the information. Previously, I would have to manually save each image, put it into a Google Drive folder and send it. Now, it’s just a few boxes to check off within the line sheet creation fields and that alone, we use around five to six times a day. It’s a great feature” Bajaj said. 

In summary, ApparelMagic checked off every box for Advance Apparels. “It’s easy to implement, the user interface is friendly and intuitive, the monthly updates continue to bring value to the subscription, and ApparelMagic brings increased transparency across your products, customers, and production for your entire team” Bajaj said. 

About Advance Apparels

Advance Apparels has been bringing traditional and artisanal tie-dye techniques from India to the global market since 2001. With in-house manufacturing at their two factories located in New Delhi, India – Advance Apparels continues to innovate by combining vibrant and rich dyeing techniques with timeless silhouettes for the Spring/Summer seasons. Their history and experience has always been in manufacturing and wholesaling, but now they are transitioning to a DTC experience to directly reach their loyal customers who have enjoyed their products since 2001.For more information, visit www.aashopusa.com and explore their diverse range of products.

10 Years with ApparelMagic: West Indies Wear’s Journey to Better Inventory Management

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The Challenge

West Indies Wear, founded by designer Kim Van Loo, started as a small but vibrant resortwear business. In its early years, the company faced significant challenges managing its growing inventory and complex orders. Initially, Kim relied on Excel spreadsheets to track SKUs, shipments, and orders, but this manual system was cumbersome and error-prone. The process was further complicated when factories began sending separate shipments, leading to backorders that were almost impossible to track using their outdated methods.

As West Indies Wear expanded from its Caribbean base into the United States, new logistical issues arose, including customs brokerage concerns and package searches for drugs, which led to difficulties in fulfilling orders for U.S. boutiques. The situation was less than ideal, and Kim knew that to maintain her business’s growth, she needed a more efficient system for inventory control and backorder management.

The ApparelMagic Solution

In late 2014, West Indies Wear adopted ApparelMagic’s desktop software, transforming its business operations. With ApparelMagic, they moved from chaotic manual processes to a streamlined, efficient system. Kim recalls feeling like the business had “grown up” when they started using ApparelMagic. The software provided robust inventory control and allowed them to manage backorders effectively.

In 2016, the company transitioned to ApparelMagic Cloud, enhancing accessibility and flexibility. This was a game-changer for Kim, who, as a “one-man band” designer, often worked at night. With the cloud version, she could now manage her business from her office, home, or even her phone, which was crucial given her unique business model.

“ApparelMagic is our bible, everything else in the business stems from that, and it is absolutely crucial to my business.”

The software’s comprehensive features allowed Kim to maintain a detailed history of every design, complete with images, colors, prices, fabrics, HTS codes, and descriptions. The UPC code generation feature significantly reduced the time spent on data entry, while the costing functionality streamlined their pricing process. The software also offered integrations with Shopify for online sales, Xero for accounting, and NuORDER for wholesale orders, which fit seamlessly with their evolving business needs.

The Results

The implementation of ApparelMagic revolutionized West Indies Wear’s operations. The robust inventory control and backorder management features streamlined their workflow, reducing manual errors and improving efficiency. Kim often describes ApparelMagic as the “backbone” of her business, providing stability and support as the company grows. The software’s comprehensive design records have become invaluable, allowing her to reference past styles and inform new collections, enhancing the brand’s creative and operational efficiency.

The cloud-based solution provided the flexibility Kim needed to manage her business effectively, whether from her office, home, or on the go. The ability to clone previous styles and carry over historical data streamlined her design process, while the seamless integrations with Shopify, Xero, and NuORDER enhanced their sales and accounting functions.

Our Met Gala Review: ApparelMagic clients take on the biggest night in fashion

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Over the past decade, the first Monday in May has been cemented into the fashion world’s calendar as the most pressworthy, meme-able, and era-defining night of the year.

Getting more eyes than fashion week, allowing more risk-taking than award season, and attracting a broader audience than brand activations, the Met Gala is the best opportunity fashion labels have in the attention economy. And boy, did ApparelMagic clients take it.

Actress Rebecca Hall, fresh off Godzilla x Kong press, brought that monster-movie kind of scale into her own look by ApparelMagic client Danielle Frankel: a delicate trapeze silhouette that kept flowing all the way down the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s famous staircase.

Following along on the train trend, pop superstar Demi Lovato‘s gown by Prabal Gurung was both va-va-voom and theme-friendly, with an oblique reference to the crystalline flowers described in the gala’s inspiration text, The Garden of Time, by J.G. Ballard.

While the Met’s museum exhibition is entitled “Sleeping Beauties,” tennis veteran Maria Sharapova‘s citrus green cape and lemon-yellow dress was anything but. The Prabal Gurung getup was accessorized with a dainty floral headpiece.

Actor Colman Domingo, on the other hand, eschewed color with aplomb. His ensemble, by ApparelMagic client Willy Chavarria, was a debonair, sophisticated respite from some of the more outre moments on the green carpet.

Bold as ever, actress Taraji P. Henson chose Jonathan Simkhai of SIMKHAI to design her an hourglass gown complete with intricately textured train and a beaded bodice complete with exposed corsetry.

Singer Leon Bridges is getting bigger and bigger, but his Met Gala look showed he wasn’t straying far from his roots. His Willy Chavarria tux was the perfect backdrop to some statement brooches and an foppish ascot that really showed he could make the red carpet his own.

ApparelMagic Case Study Swannies Golf Apparel

Driving Success: Swannies Golf Apparel’s Growth with ApparelMagic

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Challenge

Swannies Golf Apparel embarked on their journey in 2015, seeking to disrupt the traditional golf apparel industry. A few short years later, Swannies quickly reached exciting milestones and found themselves confronting the challenges of managing a growing team and expanding customer base.

As they expanded, their reliance on spreadsheets and outdated systems became increasingly impractical. With aspirations to scale further, they needed a solution that could support their growth trajectory.

The ApparelMagic Solution

In their quest for a comprehensive solution, Swannies turned to ApparelMagic over five years ago. Recognizing the potential of ApparelMagic ERP’s capabilities, they implemented the platform to streamline their operations. As their wholesale customer base grew to over 3000, ApparelMagic remained a steadfast partner throughout their journey, providing the essential infrastructure needed to manage their business efficiently.

A pivotal moment in their partnership with ApparelMagic occurred when they collaborated with the development team to launch the ATP (Available to Promise) calculations. This functionality was especially critical for a business model like Swannies’, providing the confidence needed to continue scaling. With ATP calculations in place, Swannies could better manage their ordering processes, ensuring they could fulfill customer demands accurately.

Results

Swannies’ growth since implementing ApparelMagic has been nothing short of remarkable. In terms of revenue, Swannies is now approximately 100 times the size from when they started using the system. As such, ApparelMagic has been an integral part of their success story. The platform has continuously scaled alongside Swannies, providing the necessary tools and support to navigate their surge.

Looking ahead, Swannies anticipates many more years of growth with ApparelMagic by their side. The platform’s adaptability and functionality continue to be instrumental in their success, empowering Swannies to achieve their ambitious goals and solidify their position as industry disruptors in the golf apparel market.

Conclusion

Through their partnership with ApparelMagic, Swannies Golf Apparel has demonstrated how the right ERP solution can act as a catalyst for advancement and streamline operations for apparel businesses of all sizes. With a robust platform and dedicated support team, ApparelMagic has aided Swannies in evolving from a startup to a thriving enterprise, setting the stage for continued success in the years to come.

How Gameday Social Replaced Spreadsheets with a Purpose-Built Fashion ERP

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Challenge: Streamlining Operations for a Rapidly Growing Apparel Brand

Gameday Social, a certified women-owned company based in South Dakota, has experienced rapid growth since 2021. Specializing in elevated, trend-driven licensed sports apparel for female fans aged 21 to 40, the company positioned itself uniquely in the market. Like with most success stories, challenges came about along the way – Particularly in managing operations efficiently in this case. Prior to adopting ApparelMagic, Gameday Social relied on a combination of spreadsheets, warehouse management software, and QuickBooks, resulting in a non-scalable and hectic method. 

The ApparelMagic Solution

In search of a more tailored solution for the apparel industry, Gameday Social discovered ApparelMagic. Finding an ERP system specifically designed for fashion was a priority. ApparelMagic stood out as a solution that understood the nuances of the fashion industry, distinguishing it from other generic manufacturing and warehouse management options.

ApparelMagic addressed Gameday Social’s challenges by providing a comprehensive platform that integrated inventory management, order fulfillment, and streamlined B2B processes. The scalability of the system was a crucial factor for Gameday Social, as it not only met their current needs but also positioned them for significant future growth. 

The implementation of ApparelMagic allowed the company to transition away from time-consuming manual processes, providing end-to-end efficiency and freeing up their team for strategic tasks like product development.

Results:

The positive impact of ApparelMagic on Gameday Social has been evident in various aspects of their operations:

  1. Efficiency Gains: The system’s user-friendliness and quick response times significantly reduced the time spent on manual workarounds. This newfound efficiency allowed Gameday Social’s team to focus more on what truly matters: growth strategy.
  2. Scalability: Gameday Social reported that ApparelMagic not only met their current needs but could easily accommodate future growth. The platform’s scalability became a pivotal factor in positioning the company for ongoing success.
  3. Quick Onboarding: Onboarding new sales representatives became a seamless process with ApparelMagic. The intuitive nature of the platform minimized the need for extensive training, allowing the new team members to navigate the system quickly. 

ApparelMagic proved to be a transformative solution for Gameday Social. If you’re also looking for a solution to help you streamline processes in the competitive world of fashion, book a demo to see if ApparelMagic is right for you.

How Bridge & Burn Enhanced Operations to Solve Inventory Challenges

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Challenge: Streamlining Operations and Inventory Management

In late 2022, Bridge & Burn, under new ownership, faced the immediate challenge of streamlining operations and gaining control over their unique inventory management needs. The company’s commitment to custom-developed fabrics and small-batch production required a robust solution that could seamlessly handle B2B, inventory, development, and invoicing, all while accommodating the complexities of their specialized inventory partitioning.

The ApparelMagic Solution: A Unified Hub Tailored to Apparel Brands

Enter ApparelMagic, the comprehensive ERP solution that became the backbone in Bridge & Burn’s quest for operational efficiency. Taylor Murray, the owner, notes that ApparelMagic allowed them to consolidate various functions under one roof, eliminating the need for expensive third-party apps. 

This central hub not only streamlined their processes but also facilitated easy integration with essential apps like Xero and Shipstation, minimizing the disruption of their existing workflows.

While ApparelMagic offers numerous features, the Bridge & Burn team is most excited about its unparalleled inventory management capabilities. The software’s flexibility enabled the company to efficiently organize their inventory based on the detailed needs of their operations.

Utilizing ApparelMagic’s barcode scanning for inventory maintenance, purchase order (PO) creation, and PO receiving, Bridge & Burn saved time, increased accuracy, and gained invaluable insights into their operations.

“The fact that ApparelMagic is set up exactly for apparel is incredibly helpful. You don’t need to do any type of workarounds or anything. It’s just there and it works, which is the number one thing for us.”

Results: Operational Gains and Cost Savings

The implementation of ApparelMagic resulted in tangible benefits for Bridge & Burn. The software’s user-friendly design, tailored for the apparel industry, eliminated the need for tedious workarounds, reducing the likelihood of errors. 

The efficiency gains from improved inventory management translated directly into cost savings and increased satisfaction among both staff and customers.

Bridge & Burn had previous experience with other ERP providers, but none matched the tailored usability and effectiveness of ApparelMagic, especially in the apparel industry. The software’s seamless integration with existing tools, coupled with its flexibility in handling unique inventory challenges, made it the clear choice for the company’s needs.

Furthermore, the collaboration with ApparelMagic’s development team allowed Bridge & Burn to contribute to the enhancement of the software. Their joint effort resulted in the roll out of the “Feedback” module, a valuable addition for adding notes and images to tech packs, thereby improving factory communication, reducing errors, and saving time.

Future Steps: Continuing the Journey with ApparelMagic

In summary, ApparelMagic has not only met Bridge & Burn’s immediate challenges but has also positioned itself as a long-term partner in their growth journey. The software’s adaptability, integration capabilities, and ongoing support have proven instrumental in helping Bridge & Burn navigate the unique complexities of the apparel industry.

Hype and Vice leaves Google Sheets behind to optimize operations with ApparelMagic

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College merch is suddenly cool. The merch revolution, starting with classic rock band tees and then moving into arts-adjacent tote bags has now made its way into collegiate apparel. But we’re not talking about standard-issue baseball caps and hooded sweatshirts. These are not your dad’s lucky jerseys.

What’s really hitting campus stadiums on game day is a whole new breed of school spirit that finds itself on crop tops, pleated skirts, and shrunken puffer jackets. And it wouldn’t have happened unless Hype and Vice cofounders Cecilia Gonzalez and Kimberly Robles entered the college apparel market.

“We were both college roommates back then,” remembers Kimberly Robles, “and the whole idea started just because we went to the USC tailgates and all the girls were cutting up T-shirts that were just available at the bookstore. They mostly wanted crop tops, bandana tops, and then a lot of them used to buy little kids-size skirts that weren’t available in adult sizes.”

It dawned on the pair that there was a gap in the market, and their unique position gave them a new perspective that hadn’t dawned on the established college apparel businesses, mostly run by men.

“No one is doing adult clothes that girls actually wanted to wear,” Robles says. “We looked, we did our research, and we found that no one else was doing it. There was not a brand catering to that specific woman. And that’s how the whole idea started.”

From there, they were off to the races, slowly building up a stable of licensed deals with universities. After a few signed on, Hype and Vice started to gain credibility and watch their growth snowball.

As they grew, the team needed more sophisticated software to track their sales and guide strategy.

“We grew a lot last year,” Robles says. “That was our inflection point, and we needed a system. We couldn’t keep doing this manually on a million Google sheets.”

Robles says they turned to ApparelMagic after researching their options and seeing how user-friendly and visually-oriented the software is, a nonnegotiable for their design-focused team. And once they started using it, the benefits were obvious.

“Now there is one place everybody can access to look at orders,” Robles says. “It’s definitely a time-saver because we used to do everything very manually. Now everything’s automatic.”

So what’s next for Hype and Vice?

“We’re right now at 192 schools,” Robles says.”I think the goal for this year is to get licenses that we’re missing for the NCAA, and then continue growing wholesale. That’s the area that’s been growing a lot for us, so definitely getting into top retailers.”

Sights are set high, and with the brand’s trajectory, Hype and Vice looks likely to keep this momentum going.

H&H Sports Protection boosts customer satisfaction with ApparelMagic Desktop to Cloud move

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Established in 1992, H&H Sports Protection is no newcomer to the industry. They’ve seen trends come and go, weathered the ups and downs, and kept up with the newest technologies along the way.

The company, behind the major motorcycle helmet and accessory brands Just1 Racing and Torc, is an international powerhouse, with a footprint covering China, Italy, and the United States.

“We go deep in this industry,” H&H Sports Protection CEO Peter Miao says. “We’re not just manufacturing, we actually design and develop new projects, promote our brands, and promote sports events in Asia.”

With this kind of worldwide reach, taking orders and payments has always been a challenge, but one that they’ve been solving with ApparelMagic.

Way back in 2016, Miao’s team recognized a need in their business to process credit cards, and they came across an earlier server-based incarnation of ApparelMagic. The software’s merchant functions were more than enough to win them over, and they began using it as the backbone of their business. Over the next five years, they continued to use the server-based ERP, but were soon looking for alternatives to maintaining and upgrading their remote server. 

As Miao looked into alternatives, he came across the cloud-based version of ApparelMagic. Seeing the ability to integrate to many services and get away from headaches associated with server hosting, he pulled the trigger.

“I made a subscription for just one user to try and test it,” Miao says, then hiring a consultant to migrate the company’s data while ensuring none of the core business functions would be affected. “It was a smooth process.”

As of January 2021, H&H was good to go, and already they were experiencing the benefits of the state-of-the-art tech. Suddenly his team could turn their attention away from repetitive tasks as ApparelMagic and services like ShipStation took care of them behind the scenes.

“A lot of manual work had to be done,” Miao says. “But now, all the work could be automated. It improves efficiency, but also, because we have the energy and resources, improves the customer satisfaction level. It’s a win-win.”

Beyond their daily workflow, H&H has innovated in their selling process by using ApparelMagic’s built-in B2B sales tools. Rather than sending PDFs back and forth, customers can now check available inventory and create their own orders online with a true wholesale ecommerce experience.

“Customers don’t need to write emails anymore. They don’t need to call reps. They don’t need to remember SKU numbers,” Miao says. “It’s a very easy process.”

The B2B site allows customers to find exactly what they need on their own and add it to their shopping carts, saving time for everyone. H&H sales reps often arrive in their California office to new orders East coast customers placed just that morning.

“With the help of ApparelMagic, we are able to offer an ease to customers doing business with us,” Miao says. “We saw a 50% growth in sales in 2022, and we are confident that we will continue growing in 2023.”

How Scott Barber fully integrated all business aspects with ApparelMagic

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Legacy brands have a lot going for them: vendor connections, wholesale distribution networks, and loyal end customers, but they have challenges all their own as they grow to meet challenges of the current era.

Scott Barber, a men’s sportswear line founded nearly 30 years ago in 1994, had steady business for decades and a reputation that preceded it. However, when new management took the business on two years ago, they saw it could reach new heights.

“We’ve given the brand a new life,” says Rosemarie Grieco, Managing Partner of Scott Barber, “by evolving and elevating the collection in the better men’s specialty market, and by expanding our reach on our direct to consumer site.”

This two-pronged approach is the result of fresh thinking and a deep analysis of the Scott Barber business already taking the brand from good to great.

“We are a new team with a new vision,” Grieco says, “and it’s highly appreciated by our retailers!”

As soon as Grieco and her colleagues took on the business, it was clear that outdated technology behind the scenes was holding it back. As a small team, it was important that they could get full control and visibility of each element of the business, and they turned to ApparelMagic to get it done.

“I’m one person,” Grieco says, “so I needed to streamline as much as I could.”

Grieco single-handedly took on the business’s transition to ApparelMagic, integrating their data with built-in tools like line sheets and ApparelMagic Pay, as well as connecting with outside service providers like QuickBooks, NuOrder, and Shopify.

“Every aspect of the business can be run through ApparelMagic,” Grieco says, “and that’s what I love.”

For legacy businesses like Scott Barber, ApparelMagic’s multi-channel sales tools and integrations are ideal. With big wholesale customers like department stores eager to keep Scott Barber in their assortments, for example, it was necessary to connect through EDI.

“EDI is so important and critical to run a business because you have trading partners that work that way,” Grieco says. 

Meanwhile, they also do strong business through an online B2C storefront built through Shopify. ApparelMagic’s platform manages all of these sales channels in one convenient place.

With Scott Barber’s priceless brand equity paired with ApparelMagic now taking them to the next level, the future is bright for another 30 years of continued success.

How Frankies Bikinis manages explosive growth with ApparelMagic

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Open Instagram on any fashionista’s phone, and you’re bound to see a a model, celebrity, or friend posed on a photogenic beach or perched at the edge of an infinity pool. And chances are, that glamourous swimsuit she’s wearing is probably Frankie’s.

Frankie’s Bikinis, that is. Starting as a humble mother-daughter business just a decade ago, founder Francesca Aiello has steadily built an international following for her trend-driven swimsuits.

In the past ten years, the brand has went from influencer darling to Victoria’s Secret protege after a minority stake was made by the lingerie and lifestyle giant.

Since its founding, Frankie’s Bikinis has grown to encompass far more than than those bikinis, now offering a healthy assortment of clothing, activewear, and even skincare staples.

Throughout this explosive growth, the team has relied on ApparelMagic to power their business, acting as a central hub that connects sales, distribution, manufacturing, and design.

“We have a little under 40 people at Frankie’s, and all of them are at some point in ApparelMagic,” says Emma Johnson, head of operations.

And better yet, the team has found the onboarding process for the whole team smooth and efficient, with learning resources and trainings provided by ApparelMagic rather than needing to build their own training program.

“I do a mini-training on how we use it specifically,” Johnson says, “But it helps a lot that I don’t have to train someone on a whole platform”

With tools for everything from tech packs to B2B eCommerce to business intelligence, the software is an invaluable part of daily life at Frankie’s. Not only does it manage the product and sales data, but it reaches out to connect with other services like Shopify, keeping a constantly accurate sync of inventory and styles.

ApparelMagic’s ease of integrating is a huge help for a business that is constantly growing and adapting as they reach new heights. As their needs change, users are able to connect to a range of services as well as develop their own using API access.

“Any coder can come in and read the guides and create a custom integration pretty easily,” Johnson says.

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Introducing a comprehensive returns service recently, the team has automated processes and taken headaches out of their standard workflows. As Frankies goes from strength to strength and continues to grow, they’re able to simplify their day-to-day even as their operations become more complex.

Building a business is tough, but as with their swimwear, Frankies Bikinis makes it look effortless.

LaQuan Smith nominated for CFDA Award

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No stranger to the red carpet, LaQuan Smith has been nominated for a CFDA Award for Womenswear Designer of the Year.

The 2022 award ceremony, taking place in New York, rewards the leading voices in the fashion industry, anointing the newest names and welcoming the hottest trendsetters to the influential establishment.

LaQuan Smith, an ApparelMagic client, has been welcomed into the industry by the merit of his daring cuts and his all-star roster of glamazon fans.

With notable celebrities like Beyonce, Khloe Kardashian, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Sydney Sweeney as recent converts, Smith has been the one to wear since starting his line. All signs point to him getting even bigger in the coming year.

How Lemlem doubled their orders and increased their GMV by 167% in just 2 years with Cymbio and ApparelMagic!

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Meet the Brand

Lemlem is an artisan-driven brand of beautiful women’s resort wear made entirely and responsibly in Africa, with a core mission of preserving the local art of weaving in Ethiopia and inspiring economic growth on the continent.

Founded by supermodel Liya Kebede in 2007, Lemlem was born to help preserve the ancient art form of weaving to create a fashion label of love, celebrating women and nature.

The Challenge

Lemlem found the majority of their workload and processes being undertaken manually by a limited-sized team. While this allowed for tight controls, they reached a point where this was no longer sustainable. Seamless integration between ApparelMagic and Cymbio’s platform allowed them to not only save time and money – it also helped improve data quality, streamline metrics, reduce errors and lift employee morale.

The Solution

Since 2017, Lemlem used ApparelMagic’s apparel management software to centralize their operations. ApparelMagic’s software offers leading apparel accounting, inventory control and logistics solutions. Due to Lemlem’s growth and success with ApparelMagic, they were also able to extend their wholesale business with J.Crew and Farfetch. Commencing in 2020, Cymbio provided automated, integrated support to help manage and process orders associated with J.Crew, Madewell plus many more retailers, which has been essential for growth.

This upgraded eCommerce platform elevated the user experience for consumers with an improvement in the ability to personalize their shopping journey. It also allowed Lemlem to enjoy growth in other significant areas, such as design and strategy, given that they had more time.

Only with the effective technology offered by Cymbio was this possible. Cymbio worked closely with Lemlem, maintaining the same team, to support their niche product integration into the eCommerce market.

Recipe for Success

With excellent product quality, inspired by the unique Ethiopian hand-woven patterns and the vibrant, colorful combinations in the streets of Africa, Lemlem is all about happy colors and stripes, creating new casual and chic pieces that are easy to wear on all occasions.

The brand’s products are made entirely and responsibly in Africa inspiring economic growth on the continent.

Lemlem understood the importance of partnering with eCommerce platforms in order for their niche product and reach a global market. Moreover, given their relatively small team, they needed successful retail connections and automation to ensure systems ran smoothly with very little hands-on effort.

“Onboarding with Cymbio has been key to securing our partnership with J.Crew and the ability to manage the increase in orders. Without Cymbio, this just would not have been possible.”

Janise Vargas, Sales Assistant, Lemlem

“We enjoy the ease with which we are able to collaborate and integrate systems with Cymbio. Collaboration isn’t just a strategy but essential for long-term business success, which we feel defines what we have with Cymbio.”

Nicoll Leighton, Operations & Strategy, ApparelMagic

The Results

The successful integration of Cymbio’s eCommerce automated solutions to ApparelMagic’s powerful ERP offered significant growth for Lemlem.

This included:

% GMV change YoY (21/20)- 112% growth

% Orders change YoY (21/20) –106% growth

% GMV Q1 22 vs Q1 21- 167% growth

In addition, the upgraded platform increased the quality of the customer experience (by segmenting and personalizing offers) while simultaneously allowing Lemlem to prioritize and allocate time for other more important tasks such as designing, strategizing and sourcing more (or better) suppliers.

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