Since its inception in 2009, Reformation has become known for fusing its ethos of sustainability with style for the ultimate “cool girl.” It’s been the mission of CEO and founder Yael Aflalo to create an empowering brand that reaches consumers through its eco-friendly approach as opposed to falling into the world of fast fashion.
After 10 years, the brand, which has been known for carrying sizes 00 to 12, has revealed it will now feature a permanent collection of extended sizes available in 1X to 3X, and 14 to 24. The brand’s decision comes after it released a limited collaboration in 2018 with model Ali Tate Cutler featuring inclusive sizing, which sold out. Reformation has also featured limited collections targeted toward women with larger chests and petites, and it expanded into denim with its Ref Jeans collection in 2017.
Timed with the new launch, Aflalo discussed the decision to permanently sell extended sizing, how the brand A/B tests its collections and how it’s become even more focused on promoting sustainability.
Tell me about the significance of sustainability being the ethos of the brand.
Fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, and it’s only gotten worse with the rise of fast fashion. The key to creating a more sustainable fashion community is to continue to innovate, make the environment a priority and hold others accountable. Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, and we’ve made significant efforts to reduce our impact on water, materials and energy systems across our supply chain and business practices.
How does sustainability play into your marketing?
The success of our sustainability initiatives is determined by how effortless they are to adopt and understand. We do our best to educate our customers on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle through our social media channels, our newsletters and our website in hopes that our efforts will inspire our customers to make informed choices when it comes to fashion.
How did you approach this new collection?
We have a meticulous approach to design and fit at Reformation. Our team spends a lot of time researching, testing and fitting styles on a variety of body types to make sure we get it right. As always, we source the most beautiful and sustainable fabrics possible to bring our designs to life.
We’ve seen collections like, for instance, the one for larger chested women and petites come in limited collections. How do you A/B test new lines?
We have a meticulous approach to design and fit at Reformation. Our team spends a lot of time
researching, testing and fitting styles on a variety of body types to make sure we get it right. As
always, we source the most beautiful and sustainable fabrics possible to bring our designs to life.
How do you retain customers?
We refresh styles online and in stores every week. Our fast production, style and affordable prices leave our customers wanting more. We also remain true to why we started the brand in the first place. When the company first started, we were told by a lot of people to play down the fact that we were an “eco-friendly” clothing brand because people would automatically roll their eyes when they heard that. We’re continuing with our mission to be the leader in the wearable “green” fashion space, proving that style and sustainability can co-exist.
What are your goals moving forward?
Our goal remains the same: to be the destination for sustainable clothing that is fashionable. In 2019, we want to get the word out to more people and find new ways to engage our community. We will grow our offering of sustainable products and initiatives, and continue to give our customer the tools to make better decisions. In January, we launched a climate change program called “Carbon is Canceled,” allowing people to purchase climate credits, or carbon offsets, directly from us and switch to wind energy for a $100 Reformation credit.
