Former students unite for online clothing business
For a new college grad about to step into the professional world for the first time, finding the right clothes, at the right price and right fit, can be a struggle. But Thomas Dwyer, CEO and founder of TAYLRD clothing, along with Anthony Pizza, the company’s director of ecommerce, are part of a growing movement to change the way that millennials buy clothing.
It was need and desire that drove the Carle Place High School alum to create TAYLRD. The two, who have previously worked in the ecommerce realm, noted that when it came to buying their own clothes online it was a challenge. They continually found themselves spending more than they wanted to on clothes, and with limited options as to where they could go for reliable service and consistent fit.
“We were trying to find a good shopping experience for guys, with a lot of options at a good price point,” Pizza said. “And to couple that with fast delivery, great customer service, a great website and a great brand.”
“Both of us just felt the pain of having to spend too much money to get that good online ecommerce experience,” Dwyer added.
That pain led the two to create TAYLRD, an ecommerce site that specializes in well-fitting clothes for young men. Their target audience is young men in their 20s, with a focus on chinos and button-downs suitable for both casual and corporate settings. It’s a competitive market, but the audience is one that needs the help. Prior to launching, Dwyer and Pizza conducted a survey of millennial men ages 18 to 32; 40 percent said they had their moms buy their clothes while one-in-five had their significant other shop for them in the last month.
“Carle Place has been amazing, from bringing me and Anthony together to growing up in the same town to the support of the people. It’s a great community and is super supportive,” Thomas Dwyer
A huge asset for TAYLRD is that Dwyer and Pizza are essentially their own customers; they know what other millennial males want and are actively designed in every process of the brand, from the design to sales to marketing.
“We represent the customer,” said Pizza. “We’re trying to make clothes for guys like us—regular guys who are looking for an easier way to shop. We’re trying to help educate them on the best stuff to wear.”
They’re also keyed into their customers’ needs, launching a same-day delivery service due in part to feedback from a recent survey.
Affordability has worked in their favor as well. With dress shirts at $50 and chinos at $75, TAYLRD is less expensive than competitors like Bonobos, where a dress shirt or pants will cost you around $100.
Both Dwyer and Pizza are quick to point out that TAYLRD could never have happened without the support of the Carle Place community. It’s where they had their first office as well as their launch party and they continue to give back, recently speaking at a career day event and showing their clothes at the Key Club’s fashion fundraiser.
“Carle Place has been amazing, from bringing me and Anthony together to growing up in the same town to the support of the people. It’s a great community and is super supportive,” said Dwyer.
While the two are several years apart (Dwyer graduated in 2007, Pizza in 2010) they had mutual friends and became friends themselves while playing recreational basketball during their college years, a bond that grew when both were working at Worldnet Shipping.
And the future for these former Frogs looks bright. Dwyer said the company is growing 30 percent each month but more than just seeing numeric growth, the alumni are seeing personal growth as well.
“From a business and customer perspective, we want to offer a really cool brand that our customers trust and be a go-to men’s brand at an affordable price,” said Pizza on his hopes for the future. “And to continue to be challenged and have fun every day…we’re getting better every day in a field that’s so relatively new to us. I don’t think about it from a 9 to 5, it’s completely different and it makes you work harder as an individual. It has a different level of satisfaction.”
Find out more about TAYLRD at www.taylrdclothing.com.
