How brands like Vuori, Rothy's and Away have adapted to the new DTC landscape

""Ten years back, the world was a bit different, in terms of where digital [commerce] fit into the mix," Ashley Kechter, Vuori's global president, said during the panel. Simply having a direct-to-consumer site was still a novelty in certain categories, and the rise of Instagram and Facebook allowed these players to acquire a huge swath of customers at low costs."

"Away CEO Jessica Schinazi said the DTC model helped establish an emotional connection with consumers in unexpected categories. "Before Away came to market, no one was buying luggage online," she said. "Now what we're seeing is a decentralization," Schinazi said. "The brand is still as important and the product is still fundamental and critical to the overall experience, but we are going to meet the customers where they are.""

Brands such as Vuori, Away and Rothy's transitioned from direct-to-consumer startups into larger, multichannel businesses. Early DTC success relied on low-cost customer acquisition via Instagram and Facebook and novelty of online storefronts in some categories. Over time search and shopping behaviors shifted, creating new opportunities and threats such as copycat competitors and generative AI. Companies are decentralizing distribution, meeting customers through social, agentic and mobile commerce, while also expanding into wholesale and physical retail. Brand identity and product quality remain central to customer experience, even as companies adapt marketing, channel strategy and technology to scale.

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