Kayindo pivots to special occasion wear after wholesale loss
Kayindo founder Kayindo Matene reported a revenue drop to $50,000 after losing wholesale accounts. The brand is now focusing on direct-to-consumer sales of special occasion wear rooted in Congolese heritage.
Kayindo Matene, founder of the luxury special occasion fashion brand Kayindo, reported a significant revenue drop from $268,000 in 2023 to $50,000 last year after losing all wholesale business with retailers including Anthropologie, Rent the Runway, Newly, and Shopbob. Matene, who started the brand in 2017, is pivoting to focus solely on special occasion wear, such as mother-of-the-bride dresses and bridal attire, targeting women seeking unique, colorful pieces rooted in Congolese heritage.
The brand is currently rebuilding through direct-to-consumer sales via its website and dropshipping with Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. Matene identified her top-selling products as the Cleopatra dress, Haditha dress, Eda tunic, and Egypt pants. She is shifting marketing efforts away from broad Meta and Google ads toward in-person pop-ups, trunk shows in bridal stores, and partnerships with influencers in the bridal space to reduce customer acquisition costs and build community engagement. Matene stated, "I lost all of my wholesale business... last year I did 50K and I nearly closed my business."