Trunk Club
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fashion, Retail |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Joanna Van Vleck |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Brian Spaly (founder and CEO until 2017), Rob Chesney, Terry Boyle (CEO until 2019) |
| Products | Bespoke men's and women's clothing, styling services |
| Parent | Nordstrom (acquired 2014) |
Trunk Club was a bespoke clothing service catering to mid- to high-end men's and women's fashion, with its headquarters located in Chicago, Illinois.
Established in 2009, Trunk Club was a forerunner in introducing the at-home try-on experience specifically for men's apparel. Clients collaborated with personal stylists who assembled curated trunks of clothing, delivered directly to their residence or workplace; customers were charged solely for the items they decided to keep. Additionally, the company maintained six physical "clubhouses" that provided face-to-face styling consultations, ready-to-wear collections, and tailored formalwear options.
History
The idea was conceived in 2009 by Joanna Van Vleck during her MBA studies, initially operating out of Bend, Oregon. Investor Anthos Capital brought on Brian Spaly—who co-founded the online menswear brand Bonobos—as founder and CEO in 2010 to spearhead the Chicago-based business.
In 2011, Trunk Club raised $11 million in Series A financing from US Venture Partners among others. The company’s expansion was propelled by the leadership duo of Spaly and Rob Chesney, who oversaw brand storytelling and operational management.
Under Spaly’s leadership, the network of clubhouses grew beyond Chicago to include locations in Dallas, Washington DC, New York City, Los Angeles, and Boston.
Nordstrom acquired Trunk Club in 2014 for $350 million. At the time of acquisition, the company was generating modest profits. In 2016, Nordstrom recorded a goodwill impairment related to this purchase. Spaly exited the company in early 2017; he was succeeded by Terry Boyle, who remained until 2019.
In March 2020, Nordstrom revealed plans to integrate Trunk Club’s offerings into its full-price retail stores, relocating clubhouses into nearby Nordstrom outlets by the fall of that year.
Trunk Club discontinued its operations as of May 31, 2022.
Products and services
Trunk Club functioned as a wholesaler offering products at retail prices rather than through a subscription model. A styling fee of $25 was charged for each trunk sent to the customer's home, which was then applied as a credit toward any purchased items. Clients benefited from complimentary consultations with stylists at clubhouses and were only billed for the merchandise they chose to keep, with typical item prices ranging from $100 to $300.
The company launched "designer series" trunks, featuring exclusive collaborations with leading brands, which enriched its selection of curated products.
In 2015, Trunk Club extended its styling services to encompass women's clothing, thereby expanding both its customer base and product assortment.