{"id":6540,"date":"2026-07-21T14:50:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:50:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/?p=6540"},"modified":"2026-07-22T16:48:31","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T14:48:31","slug":"smart-fashion-or-super-fast-fashion-lets-take-a-closer-look-at-cider","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.lineapelle-fair.it\/en\/focus-en\/smart-fashion-or-super-fast-fashion-lets-take-a-closer-look-at-cider\/","title":{"rendered":"Smart fashion or super fast fashion? Let\u2019s take a closer look at Cider"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last April, in Los Angeles, Cider \u2013 a digital-native brand focused on the DTC (Direct-to-<\/strong><\/em>
\nConsumer) segment \u2013 opened its first physical store. It describes itself as an example of<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u2018smart fashion\u2019, but for many it represents nothing more than the latest incarnation of <\/strong><\/em>aggressive fast fashion. Let\u2019s try to understand why<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

by Massimiliano Viti<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Upon entering Cider\u2019s physical shop in Los Angeles (its first and, for now, only one in the
\nworld, opened in April 2026), the first thing that catches the eye is how the products are
\npresented. Clothing and accessories aren\u2019t divided by category, but by mood<\/strong>, to attract
\ncustomers based on how they\u2019re feeling that day. Elegant or playful? \u2018Feeling Free\u2019 or
\n\u2018Feeling Cute\u2019? Let\u2019s start here to understand what we mean when we talk about Cider. A
\nbrand-new label that likes to describe itself as \u2018smart fashion\u2019, whilst for many it represents the ultimate extreme of the most aggressive form of fast fashion<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Los Angeles, mon amour<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Cider\u2019s first physical shop \u2013 a brand that\u2019s a hit with Gen Z consumers \u2013 mirrors its online
\nstore. It\u2019s no coincidence, then, that it opened in Los Angeles, given that this is the city
\nwhere the brand was founded in 2020, based on an idea by Chief Marketing Officer Yu<\/strong>
\nOppel<\/strong>, CEO Michael Wang<\/strong> and Fashion Manager Fenco Lin<\/strong>. This trio saw an opportunity
\nto create an online shop capable of responding to trends just as quickly as they emerged
\non TikTok. The result: today, Cider\u2019s annual turnover is a nine-figure sum, although the
\ncompany prefers not to disclose the exact figure. The brand has 6 million followers on
\nInstagram and is valued at over $1 billion.<\/p>\n

Direct-to-Consumer<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Cider\u2019s success reflects the growing interest in accessible and \u2013 shall we say \u2013 price-
\nconscious brands. It also represents the latest example of a digital-native brand that has
\nrealised that, to stand out and grow, it needs to open physical shops<\/a>, thereby integrating
\nthe tactile element: touching the fabrics, trying on clothes and feeling the textures. \u201cDTC
\n(Direct-to-Consumer) fashion brands need to evolve<\/strong> towards a more integrated model,\u201d
\nLin explains to Business of Fashion<\/a>. \u201cDigital is still essential for large-scale efficiency, but as all brands are using the same influencer marketing strategies, it\u2019s a channel where it\u2019s difficult to stand out.<\/p>\n

Volumes and price<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Among Cider\u2019s success factors are volume and price<\/strong>. Every month, the brand launches
\nbetween 600 and 800 new products. Tto put this into perspective, according to estimates,Shein<\/strong> launches thousands of new products every day. The price of the products is relatively low thanks to manufacturing in China. It remains, however, higher than, for
\nexample, Shein, which spares the Californian brand from attracting the same kind of
\ncriticism and controversy as the Chinese giant and other major Chinese players in the
\nsuper-fast fashion sector. In any case, though, the supply chain remains crucial<\/strong>, as Lin
\nadmits: \u201cGoing viral requires luck, but having the right product to support it requires a very agile supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n

Smart or fast?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The \u2018clean image<\/a>\u2019 that Cider projects has led several industry insiders to try to understand
\nwhether the online platform is actually as virtuous as its social media profiles suggest:
\nalways impeccable, without a blemish. It has emerged that Cider\u2019s \u2018smart fashion\u2019<\/strong>
\nconceals some underlying ambiguities<\/strong>. However, the brand has often been targeted by
\naccusations of plagiarism<\/strong>. Against independent designers, cultural appropriation, and
\nusing dropshipping (an online sales model in which the seller offers products they do not
\nphysically hold in stock) to source its products.<\/p>\n

The supply chain<\/strong><\/h3>\n

TheTab<\/a> reports that, according to some users who have posted comments on social media, Cider\u2019s supply chain is \u2018truly\u2019 agile, as Lin claims, but this is because it sources its stock, at least in part, from AliExpress<\/strong>. Eco-Stylist is even harsher in its criticism of the platform, which \u2018continues to promote <\/strong>overproduction and overconsumption<\/strong>\u2019. It has no programme for the recovery of its products. And it engages in greenwashing by claiming that the garments in its \u2018green\u2019 collection are made from certified recycled materials, when in reality they are mixed with other fabrics such as polyester\u2019. Then there is a series of accusations regarding the lack of transparency in the supply chain. Rather than \u2018smart fashion\u2019, perhaps we should be talking about \u2018smart fast fashion\u2019.<\/p>\n

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