Dolls Kill Explained

Dolls Kill
Type:Private
Founded:2011
Location:San Francisco, California
Location Country:United States
Area Served:Worldwide
Founder:Shoddy Lynn
Bobby Farahi
Industry:Retail, apparel, e-commerce
Products:Clothing, accessories, decor
Services:Online retail
Homepage:www.dollskill.com

Dolls Kill is a global online fashion brand. The company was named the "Fastest Growing Retailer" in 2014 by Inc. magazine, which also included Dolls Kill as one of the "top companies in San Francisco".[1] [2] Dolls Kill operates a retail website that sells clothing, shoes and accessories and features six collections showcased by "Dolls", models that embody character personas for each collection's style.[3] Dolls Kill is known for featuring kawaii, punk, goth, streetwear and festival fashions.[4] Since 2018 it has also licensed and operated the 1990s brand Delia's as a sub-label.[5]

History

Dolls Kill was co-founded in 2011 by Shoddy Lynn, a former DJ who went by the stage name DJ Shoddy Lynn,[6] and her husband Bobby Farahi.[3] Previously, Farahi was the founder and CEO of Multivision Inc., a broadcast monitoring service that was sold to Bacons Information in 2005.[7] [8] After Farahi sold his first company, the couple started Dolls Kill and it has reportedly been profitable since its launch.[9] Lynn originally entered the e-commerce business by selling clothing on eBay.[9] [10] Later, Dolls Kill was launched as an online marketplace for eccentric accessories such as colorful fox tails before expanding its business to a full clothing and accessories online store.[11] The idea for the company stemmed from Lynn's experiences as a DJ while traveling to music festivals on tour.[9]

In 2014, Dolls Kill secured $5 million in a Series A round of funding from Maveron,[10] a Seattle-based venture capital firm who has also invested in companies such as Shutterfly, eBay, zulily and Pinkberry.[12] After the funding round, Betsy McLaughlin, former CEO of Hot Topic, joined the company's board of directors.[9] Dolls Kill was the fastest growing private company in the San Francisco Bay Area based on revenue percent growth in 2014.[13]

In the summer of 2017 Dolls Kill opened its first pop-up shop in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury.[14]

In 2018, the brand licensed and re-launched the Delia's brand with a 1990s-throwback theme.[15] In December of that year the brand raised $18 million in a funding round.[16]

Controversy

In 2020, Lynn shared a photo of a line of police officers in front of a Dolls Kill store in Los Angeles with the caption "Direct Action in its glory", along with the Black Lives Matter hashtag, on her Instagram page.[17] This prompted backlash from some internet users, including celebrities SZA and Rico Nasty, and calls for a boycott of Dolls Kill.[18] In a recorded video Lynn explained that the caption of her post “Direct Action” was meant to show solidarity for the movement. The company also pledged $1 million to purchase products from black-owned fashion brands and designers for their site.[19]

Dolls Kill has also been accused of stealing designs from small creators. In 2016, Dolls Kill listed an item that featured a design that was identical to one made by independent designer Nicole Orchard. [20]

Marketing methods

Dolls Kill is an e-commerce apparel website that uses social media marketing to promote its brand and clothing.[21] Similar to companies such as Hot Topic, Spencer Gifts, Nasty Gal, Wanelo, or ModCloth, Dolls Kill operates various accounts on social media platforms showcasing its products and collections.[22] The company also uses social media to turn customers into brand ambassadors. When users share images of themselves on platforms such as Instagram wearing the site's apparel, Dolls Kill will in turn feature the photo on the site with links to the product's purchase page.[23] [24]

Dolls Kill offers clothing products, such as tops, bottoms, dresses, swimwear, outerwear, and lingerie. The company also provides accessories, including bags and belts, beauty, hats and jewelry. In addition, it offers shoes, tights, and socks.[25] Registration is not required to shop on the Dolls Kill website, but users can create accounts to save billing and shipping information. The site is shut down for six hours before Black Friday.

Dolls Kill features six collections represented by characters known as "Dolls." Each Doll is a model that embodies the style of the collection's theme:[26] [27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The 2014 Inc. 5000 . 2014 . . 23 November 2014 . 7 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150207063342/http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2014 . live .
  2. Web site: Top Companies in the San Francisco Metro Area on the 2014 Inc. 5000 . 2014 . . 23 November 2014 . 28 October 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141028085903/http://www.inc.com/inc5000/list/2014/metro/san-francisco . live .
  3. Web site: Maveron bankrolls edgy girls apparel retailer Dolls Kill, an online boutique for 'Misfits & Miss legits'. Cook. John. 12 August 2014. GeekWire. 23 November 2013. 4 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150604044949/http://www.geekwire.com/2014/maveron-bankrolls-edgy-girls-apparel-retailer-dolls-kill-online-boutique-misfits-miss-legits/. live.
  4. Web site: With Olapic, your models—err, we mean customers—are money. Novellino. Teresa. 13 February 2013. Upstart Business Journal. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129162628/http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/startups/2013/02/13/olapic-funnels-user-content-to-retailers.html?page=all. live.
  5. Web site: Delia’s, the iconic ’90s fashion catalog, is back — sort of. Brooke. Eliza. Vox. November 2, 2018. January 1, 2020. January 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200101173642/https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/11/2/18051852/delias-by-dolls-kill. live.
  6. Web site: Sourpuss Interviews Dolls Kill!. 25 July 2014. SourPuss. 23 November 2014. 19 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141219022725/http://www.sourpussclothing.com/blog/2014/07/25/sourpuss-interviews-dolls-kill/. live.
  7. Web site: Multivision: Big profits from the small screen. Brown. Steven E.F.. 30 January 2005. San Francisco Business Times. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129162627/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2005/01/31/smallb1.html?page=all. live.
  8. Web site: Multivision sold to Chicago company. 1 November 2005. San Francisco Business Times. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129162630/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2005/10/31/daily16.html. live.
  9. Web site: Flesh, Drugs and Instagram: How Dolls Kill Built a Breakout Online Fashion Brand. Del Rey. Jason. 11 August 2014. Recode. 23 November 2014. 11 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141111073001/http://recode.net/2014/08/11/flesh-drugs-and-instagram-how-dolls-kill-built-a-breakout-online-fashion-brand/. live.
  10. Web site: Fashion Math: eBay + Social Media = Retail Jackpot. Hagan Cain. Robyn. 11 August 2014. Racked. 23 November 2014. 6 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201106204321/https://sf.racked.com/2014/8/11/7582063/fashion-math-ebay-social-media-retail-jackpot. live.
  11. Web site: One Teaspoon Clothing Now Available In The USA On Dolls Kill. 20 April 2011. QualityArticle. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129044139/http://www.qualityarticles.com/one-teaspoon-clothing-now-available-in-the-usa-on-dolls-kill.htm. live.
  12. Web site: Dolls Kill Closes $5 Million in Series A Funding led by Maveron. 11 August 2014. FashInvest. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129151613/http://www.fashinvest.com/dolls-kill-closes-5-million-series-funding-led-maveron/. live.
  13. Web site: The Bay Area's 100 largest fastest-growing private companies Ranked by Percent growth. 24 October 2014. American City Business Journals. 29 October 2015. 5 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150705224204/http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/subscriber-only/2014/10/24/fast-100-bay-area.html. live.
  14. Web site: Dolls Kill, the Nasty Gal for People Too Cool for Nasty Gal, Goes Mainstream. 21 August 2017. Racked. 22 August 2017. 22 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170822165611/https://www.racked.com/2017/8/21/16169226/dolls-kill-clothing-festival-style. live.
  15. Web site: The Delia*s Catalog Is Back. Krentcil. Faran. Elle. November 2, 2018. January 1, 2020. January 1, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200101170047/https://www.elle.com/fashion/trend-reports/a24532119/delias-catalog-returns/. live.
  16. Web site: Dolls Kill is raising up to $15 million for its edgy fashion brand made for ‘misfits’. Loizos. Connie. December 24, 2018. TechCrunch. en-US. December 26, 2018. December 26, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181226035903/https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/24/dolls-kill-is-raising-up-to-15-million-for-is-edgy-fashion-brand-made-for-misfits/. live.
  17. Web site: People Are Calling for a Dolls Kill Boycott Over the Owner's Protest Comment. Smith-Engelhardt. Joe. June 1, 2020. Alternative Press. June 6, 2020. June 3, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200603155220/https://www.altpress.com/news/dolls-kill-black-lives-matter-boycotts/. live.
  18. Web site: SZA And Rico Nasty Condemn Dolls Kill For Calling The Police On Black Lives Matter Protestors. Okon. Wongo. June 4, 2020. Uproxx. June 6, 2020. June 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605081013/https://uproxx.com/music/sza-rico-nasty-condemns-dolls-kill-brand/. live.
  19. Web site: SZA And Rico Nasty Condemn Dolls Kill For Calling The Police On Black Lives Matter Protestors. Okon. Wongo. June 4, 2020. Uproxx. June 6, 2020. June 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200605081013/https://uproxx.com/music/sza-rico-nasty-condemns-dolls-kill-brand/. live.
  20. Web site: SFGATE . Ariana Bindman . 2021-02-18 . Designers accuse buzzy SF fashion startup of plagiarism . 2022-03-08 . SFGATE . en-US.
  21. Web site: How Fashion Brands Lululemon, Free People and Dolls Kill are Increasing on Site Engagement & Sales. 4 March 2013. PR Couture. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129114939/http://www.prcouture.com/2013/03/04/how-fashion-brands-lululemon-free-people-and-dolls-kill-are-increasing-on-site-engagement-sales/. live.
  22. Web site: The new style counsel start-ups. Mishkin. Sarah. Paton. Elizabeth. 30 April 2014. Financial Times. 23 November 2014.
  23. Web site: 5 Tips to Turn Followers into Buyers. Forte. Daniela. 22 June 2015. Access Intelligence, LLC. 29 October 2015. 20 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150920073510/http://multichannelmerchant.com/marketing/5-tips-to-turn-followers-into-buyers-22062015/#_. live.
  24. Web site: 'Tis the Season to Sell, Sell, Sell: How Fast-growth Companies Manage Black Friday. Quittner. David. 26 November 2015. Inc.com. 29 October 2015. 30 October 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151030151059/http://www.inc.com/jeremy-quittner/black-friday-tips-from-fast-growth-companies.html. live.
  25. Web site: Company Overview of Dolls Kill, Inc.. https://archive.today/20141123191007/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=270093958. dead. November 23, 2014. 13 November 2014. Business Week. 23 November 2014.
  26. Web site: Maveron leads $5 mln funding in Dolls Kill. Witkowsky. Chris. 12 August 2014. Reuters, PE Hub. 23 November 2014. 29 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141129052200/https://www.pehub.com/2014/08/maveron-leads-5-mln-funding-in-dolls-kill/. live.
  27. Web site: About Dolls Kill. Dolls Kill. 23 November 2014. 12 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141112204953/http://www.dollskill.com/about. live.

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