a.k.a. Brands Introduces Platform to Acquire and Accelerate Growth of DTC Fashion Brands

Company helps digitally-native, founder-led brands scale

SAN FRANCISCO--a.k.a. Brands (the “Company”; “a.k.a.”) is a value-add platform focused on acquiring and accelerating the growth of next-generation, digitally-native fashion brands targeting Gen Z and Millennial customers. a.k.a. scales founder-led brands and helps them access new geographic markets and customers to grow to their full potential. The current a.k.a. portfolio consists of three brands: Princess Polly, Petal & Pup and Rebdolls, each catering to a unique customer with a curated assortment of on-trend, affordable fashion.

“Today’s consumer gets fashion inspiration from social media and influencers. A new generation of social brands is emerging to cater to every style and audience. But, many of these founder-led brands struggle to scale. That’s where a.k.a. can help,” said Jill Ramsey, CEO of a.k.a. Brands. “With the power of our platform, brands leverage our retail partner relationships, access the expertise of our seasoned management team and proven playbook for growth. Founders also learn best practices and benchmarks from our other high-growth brands, and scale their businesses more cost effectively. We believe our brands are better together, and that this is a winning formula for brands, customers and a.k.a.”

With the backing of Summit Partners, a.k.a. Brands (until recently known as Excelerate Brands) was founded in 2018 with the vision to become a global leader in Direct-to-Consumer fashion. Today, the a.k.a. Brands portfolio is comprised of three high growth fashion brands. With the continued support of Summit Partners, the Company is scoping new opportunities to acquire additional brands that hold strong growth potential, a proven track record in target markets and the ability to expand and perform in new markets.

Current brands
Princess Polly — Founded in Australia in 2010 and led by Wez and Eirin Bryett, Princess Polly is now one of the fastest growing brands in the US market that serves women between 16 and 25. After joining the a.k.a. platform in 2018, Polly has experienced rapid acceleration and new customer expansion in the U.S. Polly girls like the fun, trendy fashions for going out and hanging out. Customers are inspired by the constant stream of inspirational content on social media and the fresh new merchandise arriving daily and love the affordable value.

Petal & Pup — Founded in Australia in 2015 by Tiffany Henry and led by Philip Scarff, Petal & Pup expanded to the U.S. market in 2019. Petal customers are between the ages of 24 and 40 and are attracted to the quality and value of the brand’s trendy, flattering, feminine styles and dresses for special occasions.

Rebdolls — Founded in New York in 2014 by Grisel Paula, Rebdolls offers a full range of sizes up to size 32 and prides itself on #sexyforall size inclusivity. The Rebdolls customer is female between the ages of 18 and 44.

“2020 saw a step change in fashion further shifting online and that trend is here to stay. Fortunately, we are ideally positioned to capitalize on the increased digital demand. We support our brands through their rapid expansion with access to increased fulfillment capacity, increased working capital, and tools to navigate impacted supply chains. Our unique, data-driven test & repeat sourcing approach enable us to be nimble and adjust to consumer changes in fashion,” said Ramsey. “I’m proud of our brands and the a.k.a. team for delivering exceptional performance. We anticipate continued acceleration of growth with our current brands and look forward to expanding our portfolio with new brands where we can add similar value.”

Strong Leadership Team
a.k.a. Brands has assembled a highly experienced management team with deep and diversified industry experience that spans start-ups to Fortune 500 companies. Led by Ramsey, who has an extensive background in e-commerce, the team shares a passion for fashion and retail and is committed to supporting founder-led businesses. More information on the management team, including detailed bios, is available at www.aka-brands.com.

About a.k.a. Brands
Established in 2018, a.k.a. Brands is a global, direct-to-consumer platform comprised of three digitally-native fashion brands offering a curated assortment of on-trend, affordably-priced fashion apparel and accessories. The Company leverages its operational expertise and deep industry experience to help emerging brands grow and achieve their full potential. The a.k.a. portfolio includes three compelling yet distinct brands, Princess Polly, Petal & Pup, and Rebdolls. Each brand serves their customers in a different way with a product assortment that empowers self-expression and unique style. To learn more about a.k.a. Brands visit www.aka-brands.com.

About Summit Partners
Founded in 1984, Summit Partners is a global alternative investment firm that is currently managing more than $23 billion in capital dedicated to growth equity, fixed income and public equity opportunities. Summit invests across growth sectors of the economy and has invested in more than 500 companies in technology, healthcare and other growth industries. These companies have completed more than 160 public equity offerings, and more than 200 have been acquired through strategic mergers and sales. Summit maintains offices in North America and Europe and invests in companies around the world. For more information, please see www.summitpartners.com or follow on LinkedIn.