What Modlily does

Modlily is a Shanghai-headquartered direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer specializing in affordable women's fashion, with a primary emphasis on swimwear (tankinis, bikinis, one-pieces, cover-ups) and an expanded catalog covering tops, dresses, bottoms, plus-size apparel up to 5XL, intimates, loungewear, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. The platform operates through a proprietary website (modlily.com), iOS and Android mobile applications, and supplementary dropshipping and affiliate channels, serving individual consumers globally — anchored in the United States with a return warehouse in Newark, NJ, and extending into the UK, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and Italy.

The underlying technology is a standard transactional e-commerce stack with category-level filtering, promotional pricing engines, and order tracking; no proprietary AI, API, or SDK layer is disclosed. Customer engagement tools include the Modlily Club annual VIP subscription, an M Points rewards program, and a pre-order crowdfunding mechanism requiring 15 pieces of demand within 5 days for fulfillment at up to 35% off.

Modlily monetizes through one-time retail apparel sales at price points ranging from approximately $9.98 (clearance tier) to $50+ (regular items), supplemented by heavy promotional cadence including flash sales of 50-70% off, Buy 3 Get 1 Free events, and app-exclusive offers. Buy-now-pay-later options through Afterpay and Klarna, plus PayPal and Samsung Pay, support checkout conversion. The company has operated since 2005, is privately held, discloses only a single $1.2M funding round from 2014, and lists 1-10 corporate employees — consistent with an asset-light model that outsources manufacturing and most fulfillment functions.

Name

Modlily

Legal name

Modlily

Website

https://modlily.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Modlily is a Shanghai-based direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer selling affordable women's fashion — primarily swimwear, tops, dresses, and plus-size apparel up to 5XL — to global consumers via its own website, mobile apps, dropshipping, and affiliate channels, supported by BNPL partnerships and a VIP loyalty program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Fashion Apparel E-commerce

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Premium & Contemporary Apparel Brands (CRAAAAAB)

Keywords

• Women's fashion apparel
• Online clothing store
• Swimwear retailer
• Plus-size clothing
• Direct-to-consumer e-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Shanghai

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: One-time product purchases through e-commerce website and mobile app. Customers buy individual items at listed prices with periodic sales and promotions. Revenue generated from retail margin on apparel sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Modlily is a direct-to-consumer online fashion retailer selling women's apparel through its own e-commerce website and mobile apps. Core offerings include swimwear (tankinis, bikinis, one-pieces), women's tops, dresses, plus-size clothing, and accessories, with sizes ranging from XS to 5XL. The platform supports global shipping and is supplemented by loyalty programs (Modlily Club, M Points), frequent flash sales, and a pre-order crowdfunding mechanism.

Product overview

Modlily is a women's fashion e-commerce platform offering a diverse portfolio of apparel products. The core offerings include Swimwear (tankinis, bikinis, one-piece swimsuits), Tops (tank tops, tees, blouses, sweatshirts, sweaters), Dresses (short, midi, maxi styles), and a broad Clothing category covering bottoms, plus size, intimates, loungewear, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. The platform operates on a direct-to-consumer model with supplementary services including a mobile app with exclusive discounts, a VIP loyalty program (Modlily Club), an M Points rewards system, a Pre-Order crowdfunding mechanism, and a Sale/Clearance section. The offering is architected as a unified e-commerce platform with these add-on modules enhancing customer engagement and retention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Swimwear Primary swimwear assortment including tankinis, bikinis, one-piece swimsuits, swimwear sets, and cover-ups in styles such as wrap, tie, lace-up, printed, boho, floral, and plain colors, targeted at women seeking beach, pool, and vacation-ready swimwear.
• Women's Tops Women's tops including tank tops, camis, tees, t-shirts, blouses, shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, sweaters, cardigans, vests, waistcoats, outerwear, coats, and shrugs, organized by season (Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter).
• Women's Dresses Women's dresses including short, midi, maxi, sleeveless, short sleeve, long sleeve, pocket, flowy, lace, ruffle, and smock styles, organized by trend (vacation, casual, elegant, boho, printed, floral) and season.
• Clothing (Bottoms, Plus Size, Intimates, Loungewear, Shoes, Jewelry, Accessories) General apparel and accessories category covering bottoms (pants, denim, jeans, leggings, shorts, skirts), plus-size items, intimates (bras, shapewear, nude bras), loungewear, shoes (sandals, flip flops), jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, anklets), and accessories (hats, bags, beach blankets).
• Modlily Club VIP Membership Subscription-based loyalty program offering members additional percentage discounts on products, early access to sales, and exclusive member-only pricing.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• AfterpayminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 22 September 2022Afterpay promotional partnership offering $10 credit on first purchase of $35+ for eligible US customers. Limited-time promotional offer running from 9/22/22 to 11/07/22. Provides Buy Now Pay Later payment option increasing conversion for Modlily customers.
• Happy ReturnsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with Happy Returns to offer in-person returns through Return Bar locations across the US. Customers can drop off returns printer-free at Return Bar locations for instant refund processing. Promotes sustainable and contactless returns experience.
• KlarnaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides Buy Now Pay Later payment option for customers, allowing installment payments on purchases. Listed in footer as payment method alongside other options.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cupshe: Online DTC swimwear brand with a strong plus-size and family-positioned assortment. Closely comparable to Modlily's swimwear-heavy catalog and inclusive sizing strategy, and operates with a similar DTC e-commerce and social-led GTM motion.
• Shein: Largest cross-border Chinese-origin online fast-fashion retailer serving global customers. Directly comparable on product category (women's apparel, swimwear, plus-size), business model (DTC e-commerce, mobile app, aggressive promotion cadence), and supply-chain geography.
• Fashion Nova: US-based online fast-fashion brand with a strong plus-size line and social-media-driven marketing. Comparable on target customer, plus-size positioning, and high-frequency new-arrival cadence, though differentiated by US-based operations and stronger brand.
• Cider: Social-first online women's fashion brand targeting Gen Z with frequent new drops and affordable pricing. Comparable on customer demographic, mobile/app-first GTM, and trend-driven assortment, though positioned slightly younger.
• Temu: PDD-owned cross-border online marketplace offering extremely low-priced apparel, accessories, and general merchandise. Directly competes with Modlily on price-point positioning, target customer (value-driven online shoppers), and Chinese supply-chain economics.
• Romwe: Sister-brand of Shein offering low-priced women's apparel via cross-border e-commerce. Directly comparable on customer segment (trend-seeking, price-sensitive women), assortment (tops, dresses, swimwear), and channel mix (mobile-app, social).
• Zaful: Cross-border online fashion retailer founded in Hong Kong, focused on affordable women's apparel, swimwear, and trends. Highly comparable business model (DTC, Chinese supply chain, social-media-led acquisition, frequent flash promotions).

Broad incumbents

• Boohoo: UK-listed online fast-fashion group with multiple brands targeting trend-driven women, including plus-size sub-brands. Comparable on customer demographic, value-pricing positioning, and global DTC e-commerce model, but operates at much larger scale with publicly disclosed financials.
• ASOS: Established UK-based online fashion retailer serving a global customer base with a broad assortment including plus-size. Comparable on multi-region DTC e-commerce, women's apparel focus, and inclusive sizing, though operating at meaningfully larger scale.

Emerging players

• BloomChic: DTC plus-size women's apparel brand operating online with a focus on inclusive sizing and trend-right styles. Comparable on Modlily's plus-size positioning and target customer, though with a more brand-led rather than discount-led identity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/modlilyofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/fashionmodlily

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Modlily