The Way We Wore®, Inc.
The Way We Wore®, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based, founder-owned vintage fashion boutique that has operated for over 40 years, selling authenticated designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories from iconic houses via a global Shopify e-commerce platform and a private showroom-by-appointment model, serving collectors, designers, and luxury consumers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Way We Wore®, Inc. does
The Way We Wore®, Inc. is a privately held, founder-owned vintage fashion boutique headquartered in Los Angeles, California, that has operated continuously for over 40 years under founder Doris Raymond. The company curates and sells authenticated vintage designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories from iconic fashion houses including Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Galanos, Versace, Moschino, and Issey Miyake, as well as Victorian and Edwardian-era pieces. Items are individually priced, typically ranging from approximately $225 to $9,500+, with most items falling in the $500-$3,000 range, and the company offers layaway as a financing option.
The business operates a dual-channel model: a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront with worldwide shipping via UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL, multi-currency support spanning ~150+ countries, and broad payment integrations (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Shop Pay, plus regional methods including iDEAL Wero and Bancontact); and a private showroom in Los Angeles accessible by appointment for high-touch, personalized sales of couture and runway archive pieces. Marketing is conducted primarily through organic social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) and a private email newsletter for early access to trunk-show exclusives.
The company is bootstrapped, with no venture capital or private equity involvement indicated, no parent company, and no disclosed M&A activity. It was featured on the Smithsonian Channel's "LA Frock Stars" television series, which established its brand as a globally recognized authority on authenticated vintage designer fashion. Customer segments include fashion collectors and enthusiasts (primary), fashion designers and industry professionals, Hollywood clientele, and affluent luxury consumers. The technology stack is standard off-the-shelf e-commerce infrastructure with no proprietary AI/ML components; competitive advantage rests on brand reputation, founder expertise in authentication, and the curated depth of the vintage archive.
The Way We Wore®, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Way We Wore®, Inc.
- Legal name
- The Way We Wore®, Inc.
- Website
- https://thewaywewore.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Way We Wore®, Inc. is a Los Angeles-based, founder-owned vintage fashion boutique that has operated for over 40 years, selling authenticated designer clothing, jewelry, and accessories from iconic houses via a global Shopify e-commerce platform and a private showroom-by-appointment model, serving collectors, designers, and luxury consumers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Way We Wore®, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Vintage Luxury Fashion Retail
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110), Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Luxury Fashion Resale, Vintage & Pre-owned (CRAAAFAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Accessories (Belts, Scarves, Hats, Small Leather Goods) (CRAAAFAE), Luxury Bridal & Occasionwear (CRAAAFAI)
Keywords
Where The Way We Wore®, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Way We Wore®, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Vintage Designer Apparel Retail: One-time transaction sales of authenticated vintage designer clothing and accessories through e-commerce platform, with pricing ranging from approximately $225 to $9,500+ per item
- Private Showroom Sales: Direct sales through private showroom appointments for high-touch, personalized shopping experiences
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual vintage designer pieces priced per item |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Way We Wore®, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Way We Wore® is a vintage luxury fashion boutique that sells authenticated pre-owned designer clothing, handbags, jewelry, and accessories from heritage houses such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, and Yves Saint Laurent. The company operates an online e-commerce storefront and a by-appointment private showroom in Los Angeles, supporting global shipping and layaway purchase options for collectors, designers, stylists, and luxury consumers.
Product overview
The Way We Wore® operates as a unified e-commerce vintage fashion boutique with multiple curated designer sub-collections. The core platform serves as an authenticated vintage designer and runway archive, offering pieces organized by designer brand (Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, Galanos, Versace, Moschino, Issey Miyake), historical era (Victorian, Edwardian/1910s through 2000s), and collection type (Evening, Couture, Wearable Art, Bridal). Additional services include global shipping with premium tracking and insurance, layaway options, and private showroom appointments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use The Way We Wore®, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Way We Wore®, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature1 record
The Way We Wore®, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Way We Wore®, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Heritage Auctions: Major auction house with active vintage couture and luxury fashion departments. Comparable in serving deep-pocket collectors seeking authenticated archival fashion, though distribution channel (auction) differs.
Direct peers
- 1stDibs: Online marketplace for luxury vintage and antique items including fashion, jewelry, and accessories. Comparable in curating authenticated vintage luxury for high-end collectors globally, with a broader category scope.
- Vestiaire Collective: Global peer-to-peer luxury resale marketplace with authentication and direct shipping. Comparable in serving international buyers of pre-owned luxury, though C2C model differs from TWWW's curated boutique sourcing.
- The RealReal: Online luxury resale platform for authenticated designer fashion, accessories, and jewelry, with nationwide logistics. Closest scale competitor in consigned luxury resale, though TWWW specializes in curated vintage couture rather than broad contemporary luxury.
- What Goes Around Comes Around: New York-based vintage luxury boutique specializing in authenticated pre-owned designer handbags, clothing, and accessories. Direct comparable as a multi-designer vintage luxury retailer with Hollywood and celebrity clientele.
- LXRandCo: Luxury resale retailer specializing in authenticated pre-owned designer handbags, accessories, and clothing. Comparable in authentication-driven luxury resale with global e-commerce reach.
- Decades: Celebrity-favored vintage designer boutique in Los Angeles curated by Cameron Silver. Comparable in serving Hollywood clientele and collectors with authenticated couture and runway vintage pieces.
Emerging players
- Fashionphile: Authenticated pre-owned luxury handbag and accessory resale platform. Partial overlap — focuses on handbags/accessories rather than full vintage couture, but addresses the same authentication-and-resale consumer need.
- Madison Avenue Couture Auctions: Specialized auction house for authenticated vintage Hermès, Chanel, and Dior. Overlap in vintage haute couture channel but with auction-based selling rather than fixed-price retail.
Broad incumbents
- Farfetch (Vintage): Global luxury fashion marketplace with a growing curated vintage and pre-owned edit. Comparable only as a sales channel for vintage luxury; broader contemporary focus dilutes depth in archival designer pieces.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Way We Wore®, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceThe Way We Wore®, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Way We Wore®, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Way We Wore®, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Way We Wore®, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Way We Wore®, Inc.
What does The Way We Wore®, Inc. do?
The Way We Wore® is a vintage luxury fashion boutique that sells authenticated pre-owned designer clothing, handbags, jewelry, and accessories from heritage houses such as Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermès, and Yves Saint Laurent. The company operates an online e-commerce storefront and a by-appointment private showroom in Los Angeles, supporting global shipping and layaway purchase options for collectors, designers, stylists, and luxury consumers.
Is The Way We Wore®, Inc. a public or private company?
The Way We Wore®, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Way We Wore®, Inc. founded?
The Way We Wore®, Inc. was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Way We Wore®, Inc. based?
The Way We Wore®, Inc. is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Way We Wore®, Inc. make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Vintage Designer Apparel Retail is the primary driver. The others are private Showroom Sales.
Who are The Way We Wore®, Inc.'s main competitors?
Heritage Auctions is listed as an others. Direct peers are 1stDibs, Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal, What Goes Around Comes Around, LXRandCo and Decades. Emerging players are Fashionphile and Madison Avenue Couture Auctions. Farfetch (Vintage) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does The Way We Wore®, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Way We Wore®, Inc..
What industry is The Way We Wore®, Inc. in?
The Way We Wore®, Inc.'s product category is Vintage Luxury Fashion Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAFAN, Luxury Fashion Resale, Vintage & Pre-owned, with a secondary code of CRAAAFAE, Luxury Accessories (Belts, Scarves, Hats, Small Leather Goods). Its NAICS code is 458110 and its SIC code is 5600.