Truewerk, the direct-to-consumer performance workwear brand, has been officially recognized in the 2023 Foremost 50 List. As Truewerk continues our mission to engineer the world's highest-performance workwear, we are honored to be featured among innovative businesses who are challenging the status quo and reinventing the future of their industries.
Today, The Lead, a research-driven media company, announced the fifth annual Foremost 50 List — a power list recognizing 50 break-out D2C brands that are redefining the future of the fashion, beauty, and consumer industries. Bellwethers indicating where the future of direct-to-consumer is headed, these brands are innovating in the market and taking risks while creating investor value. The Lead believes by understanding this group of rising stars, leaders across the industry can apply new business models and anticipate ever-evolving consumer expectations.
Brands are selected based on how they are innovating in the market, emphasizing product/market fit, customer acquisition and marketing, customer experience, supply chain optimization, technology implementation, channel diversity, and capital efficiency.
Having closely tracked the direct-to-consumer business model since 2018, through The Foremost 50 Lists, The Direct 60 List, and associated Insights Reports, The Lead has solidified itself as the preeminent voice on direct-to-consumer business models and is uniquely qualified to identify the challengers who are on track to transform the industry.
The Foremost 50 List is designed not only to recognize groundbreaking companies but also to highlight the collective trends and best practices that signal how the direct-to-consumer business model is evolving within the fashion, beauty, and consumer industries.
The 2023 Foremost 50, presented in partnership with cart.com, are — Athletic Brewing Co., Bearaby, BÉIS Travel, BloomChic, bobbie, Born Primitive, Boy Smells, Brandon Blackwood, Bubble Skincare, Cann, Caraway, Care+Wear, Coterie, Dame, Dorsey, Fig. 1, Flag & Anthem, Harper Wilde, Hello Cake, Hydrant, Hydrow, ipsa, Italic, K18 Hair, Kosterina, Lalo, Madhappy, MANSCAPED, Margaux, Monos, Mugsy, Oliver Cabell, Pangaia, Pattern Brands, Petlab Co., Public Rec, Rowan, Splendid Spoon, Spot & Tango, State & Liberty, Stix, Stoggles, Supergut, The Honey Pot Company, The Normal Brand, Three Wishes Cereal, Truewerk, Wandering Bear Coffee, Win Brands Group, Wolf & Shepherd.
According to The Lead’s Chief Content Officer, Sonal Gandhi, the direct-to-consumer landscape looks very different post-pandemic than the D2C gold rush days of early 2010s. “Capital resources are limited, and pathways to quick growth through Meta are no longer available. However, this generation of Foremost 50 D2C brands must grow their business in a thoughtful and savvy manner, learning from the challenges of those that came before them. They have a diversified approach to marketing, distribution, and supply chain and are very deliberate about chasing profitability over high growth.”
The Foremost 50 will be honored at The Foremost 50 Forum on March 7th. The half-day, by-invitation event is designed for leaders from breakout D2C brands, including CEOs from The Foremost 50 and Ones to Watch, as well as executives from incumbent brands. Additionally, attendees will hear from many of the list honorees and other stand-out speakers in the fashion, beauty and consumer innovation communities this July at The Lead Innovation Summit in New York City.
