Coldwater Creek
Coldwater Creek is a 40+ year privately held US women's apparel retailer operating an omni-channel direct-to-consumer model via e-commerce (coldwatercreek.com) and catalogs, serving women across inclusive sizes XS-3X with proprietary denim and knit fabric collections and a subscription-based loyalty program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersSandpoint, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Coldwater Creek does
Coldwater Creek is a privately held American women's specialty apparel retailer founded in 1984 in Sandpoint, Idaho, now operating as Coldwater International LLC and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The company sells apparel, footwear, accessories, and home goods under a nature-inspired brand aesthetic to women across inclusive size ranges (Misses XS-XL, Petites PXS-PXL, Women's Plus 1X-3X/16W-26W, and Tall). Its core product strategy emphasizes proprietary fabric technologies — Knit Denim (a knit-fabric stretch denim), PrimaKnit (Supima cotton blend), ShapeMe Denim (with hidden tummy control), The Creek Denim, and No-Iron Cotton — marketed as differentiated sub-brands alongside a broader apparel assortment organized across categories such as Knit Tops & Tees, Shirts & Blouses, Dresses, Pants, Jeans, Sweaters, Outerwear, Swim, Sleep & Lounge, Intimate Apparel, Shoes & Accessories, and Home & Gifts. Coldwater Creek holds multiple registered trademarks for these fabric lines and sub-brand collections (SPIRIT BY COLDWATER CREEK, COLDWATER CREEK ELEMENTS, WANDERLITE, THE CREEK, PONTE PERFECT, SHAPEME, PRIMAKNIT).
The company operates an omni-channel direct-to-consumer model with its e-commerce site (coldwatercreek.com) built on BigCommerce and integrated with Shopify via a partnership with CQL (formerly Riess Group), supplemented by traditional catalog mailings. Distribution is limited to US addresses (continental US plus Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and APO/FPO) with no international shipping. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time apparel purchases at standard retail with seasonal promotions up to 50% off, augmented by e-gift card sales and a monthly subscription loyalty program (MyColdwater Rewards) priced with a 30-day free trial that offers 10% back on Coldwater Creek purchases and 5% back at 1,200+ marketplace retailers. Customer acquisition and retention are driven by an owned marketing stack that includes email newsletters, SMS marketing (text JOINCWC to 37519), and social channels (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram), supported by editorial content marketing via an Inspiration hub covering color stories, fabric guides, denim guides, and seasonal lookbooks.
Coldwater Creek firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coldwater Creek
- Legal name
- Coldwater International LLC
- Website
- https://coldwatercreek.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Coldwater Creek is a 40+ year privately held US women's apparel retailer operating an omni-channel direct-to-consumer model via e-commerce (coldwatercreek.com) and catalogs, serving women across inclusive sizes XS-3X with proprietary denim and knit fabric collections and a subscription-based loyalty program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Coldwater Creek is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sandpoint
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Coldwater Creek business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- E-commerce Product Sales: Direct online sales of women's apparel, accessories, shoes, and home goods through coldwatercreek.com. One-time product purchase model with standard retail pricing.
- Catalog Sales: Traditional catalog retail channel where customers can order from printed catalogs via telephone or online. Company sends catalogs to customers who request them.
- MyColdwater Rewards Subscription: Loyalty program offering 10% back on purchases, 5% back at marketplace retailers, shipping rebates, and return shipping rebates. Monthly subscription with 30-day free trial.
- E-Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold online and delivered via email for gifting purposes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing with seasonal sales up to 50% off |
| Subscription | Monthly | MyColdwater Rewards loyalty program subscription |
| Subscription | Monthly | Text message marketing subscription |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Coldwater Creek product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Coldwater Creek is an omni-channel direct-to-consumer retailer of women's apparel, shoes, accessories, and home/gift merchandise sold exclusively through its e-commerce website (coldwatercreek.com) and catalogs. The assortment spans Misses, Petites, Women's Plus, and Tall size categories (XS through 3X), with proprietary denim sub-brands (Knit Denim, ShapeMe Denim, The Creek Denim) and signature fabric technologies (PrimaKnit, No-Iron Cotton). Customers can also enroll in the MyColdwater Rewards subscription program and purchase E-Gift Cards.
Product overview
Coldwater Creek operates as an omni-channel women's apparel retailer selling exclusively through its e-commerce platform at coldwatercreek.com and catalogs. The product portfolio centers on women's clothing across multiple size ranges (Misses XS-XL, Petites PXS-PXL, Women's Plus 16W-26W/1X-3X, and Tall), organized into categories including Knit Tops & Tees, Shirts & Blouses, Dresses, Pants, Jeans, Sweaters, Outerwear, Swim, Sleep & Lounge, and Intimate Apparel. The company differentiates through proprietary denim sub-brands: Knit Denim (soft stretch fabric), ShapeMe Denim (tummy control), and The Creek Denim (classic stretch). Beyond apparel, offerings include Shoes & Accessories, Home & Gifts, and the MyColdwater Rewards loyalty program. Specialty fabric technologies include PrimaKnit cotton blend, No-Iron Cotton, and various knit fabrics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Knit Denim Collection Standalone denim line of stretch cotton/spandex knit-look denim jeans sold through the Coldwater Creek women's apparel catalog.
- ShapeMe Denim Premium denim line with hidden tummy control panels marketed for slimming and shaping, offered in Misses, Petites, Women's Plus, and Tall sizes.
- The Creek Denim Signature jeans in easy midweight stretch denim with timeless details and novel embellishments.
- PrimaKnit Sweaters Supima cotton-blend knit sweaters made from the trademarked PrimaKnit fabric, marketed for softness and drape.
- MyColdwater Rewards Paid monthly loyalty subscription offering 10% back on Coldwater Creek purchases, 5% cash back at 1,200+ marketplace retailers, plus shipping and return shipping rebates, free for the first 30 days.
- Coldwater Creek E-Gift Cards Digital gift cards purchased online and delivered via email for use across the Coldwater Creek catalog of women's apparel, accessories, and home goods.
- Coldwater Creek Women's Apparel & Accessories Catalog The full category assortment of women's apparel (knit tops, shirts, blouses, dresses, jumpsuits, pants, jeans, sweaters, outerwear, swim, sleep & lounge, intimate apparel), shoes (sandals, sneakers, boots, flats, heels, slippers), accessories (handbags, jewelry, scarves, hats, socks), and home & gifts offered across Misses, Petites, Women's Plus, and Tall sizing.
- No-Iron Cotton Shirts & Blouses Wrinkle-free 100% cotton shirts and blouses in the No Iron & Easy Care assortment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 50% off sale pricing available to customers
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Coldwater Creek
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Coldwater Creek technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature5 records
Coldwater Creek partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- CQL (formerly Riess Group)coreCQL acquired Riess Group to become the leading global Shopify agency for unified commerce. Coldwater Creek is listed among the multiple footwear and apparel brands that have implemented or upgraded their digital and eCommerce platforms using Shopify to improve operations, customer experience, and growth. The digital transformation aims to optimize multi-brand management, reduce costs, and accelerate time-to-market.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Coldwater Creek competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Talbots: Heritage women's apparel retailer focused on classic, missy and petites sizing with omni-channel catalog and e-commerce distribution — directly comparable core customer (women 40+) and category.
- J.Jill: Women's apparel brand with a similar demographic (50+), inclusive misses/plus sizing, and catalog heritage moving toward digital — direct match in mission and customer.
- Soft Surroundings: Sister/affiliated women's apparel and home retailer sharing owners and customer demographic with Coldwater Creek; nearly identical catalog-driven, DTC model and inclusive fit approach.
- Chico's FAS: Multi-brand women's apparel retailer (Chico's, WHBM, Soma) with a strong 50+ customer overlap; competes directly on inclusive sizing, proprietary fits, and catalog-meets-digital omni-channel.
- Garnet Hill: Women's apparel and home retailer with a nature-inspired aesthetic and strong catalog-heritage DTC operations; comparable brand positioning and small-batch specialty approach.
- Lands' End: Catalog-heritage apparel retailer with significant women's assortment and DTC e-commerce; comparable business model archetype (print catalog + online store) and similar core customer.
Broad incumbents
- Anthropologie: Broader women's lifestyle apparel and home retailer; serves similar bohemian/nature-inspired aesthetic and competes for mid-life women's discretionary apparel spend across digital channels.
- L.L.Bean: Heritage apparel and lifestyle brand with nature-inspired DNA, strong women's assortment, and high brand loyalty overlap with Coldwater Creek's core customer, though broader category.
Emerging players
- NYDJ (Not Your Daughter's Jeans): Women's denim specialist focused on shaping/comfort technology (directly analogous to Coldwater Creek's ShapeMe and Knit Denim lines); competes for the same inclusive-sizing, comfort-led customer.
- Cruisearound / ELOQUII (illustrative plus-size DTC): DTC women's apparel brand specializing in extended/plus sizing; represents the digital-native competitive set pressing on Coldwater Creek's plus-size whitespace with sharper e-commerce experiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coldwater Creek social profiles
Digital presenceColdwater Creek financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coldwater Creek leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Coldwater Creek funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coldwater Creek 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 Coldwater Creek
What does Coldwater Creek do?
Coldwater Creek is an omni-channel direct-to-consumer retailer of women's apparel, shoes, accessories, and home/gift merchandise sold exclusively through its e-commerce website (coldwatercreek.com) and catalogs. The assortment spans Misses, Petites, Women's Plus, and Tall size categories (XS through 3X), with proprietary denim sub-brands (Knit Denim, ShapeMe Denim, The Creek Denim) and signature fabric technologies (PrimaKnit, No-Iron Cotton). Customers can also enroll in the MyColdwater Rewards subscription program and purchase E-Gift Cards.
Is Coldwater Creek a public or private company?
Coldwater Creek is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Coldwater Creek founded?
Coldwater Creek was founded in 1984. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Coldwater Creek based?
Coldwater Creek is headquartered in Sandpoint, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coldwater Creek make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. E-commerce Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are catalog Sales, myColdwater Rewards Subscription and E-Gift Cards.
Who are Coldwater Creek's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Talbots, J.Jill, Soft Surroundings, Chico's FAS, Garnet Hill and Lands' End. Broad incumbents are Anthropologie and L.L.Bean. Emerging players are NYDJ (Not Your Daughter's Jeans) and Cruisearound / ELOQUII (illustrative plus-size DTC).
Does Coldwater Creek have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coldwater Creek.