The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza
The days of blue is for boys and pink is for girls are long behind us and Primary is the first children’s clothing brand that has taken an approach to take gender out of clothes shopping. The company, founded by two moms who met while working at Diapers.com (acquired by Amazon for $545M), makes essential children’s clothes that are free of logos, slogans, and sequins. This modern clothing company uses premium cotton fabrics at an affordable price point – most styles are under $25, which allows parents to easily re-buy certain styles as their kids grow, creating brand loyalty as well as increasing lifetime value.
AlleyWatch sat down with Cofounders and Co-CEOs Galyn Bernard and Christina Carbonell to learn more about how Primary is redefining the experience of shopping for children’s clothing, the company’s expansion plans, and latest round of funding, which brings its total funding to $47.8M across four rounds.
Who were your investors and how much did you raise?
Primary received a $20M Series C investment led by USVP and Homebrew Ventures.
Tell us about the product or service that Primary offers.
Primary is a children’s clothing brand on a mission to help every child to feel confident in who they are. We offer a curated assortment of classic, gender-neutral styles in a rainbow of colors and patterns for babies and kids size 0-12. Primary clothes are free of logos, slogans, and sequins and don’t prescribe specific styles or colors for girls and boys. The entire collection is made from soft, Oeko-Tex certified, premium cotton fabrics.
What inspired you to start Primary?
We started Primary because we were personally frustrated shopping for our own kids’ clothes, especially how gender prescriptive everything is. We couldn’t believe that in this day and age, you still walk into a store and find pink and princesses for girls, and blue and fire trucks for boys. We’ve taken a different approach to kids clothing, focused on simple, classic styles in a rainbow of colors offered in a gender-neutral way. And our quality for the price is unheard of. It’s the brand we wanted for ourselves and our own kids.
How is Primary different?
Primary is taking a different approach by focusing on timeless essentials in a rainbow of colors, rather than chasing trends. Our assortment is curated around the styles that babies and kids live in, and that parents can re-buy as their kids grow. Our unique approach has become the basis of incredibly strong customer relationships. And by keeping things simple, we keep our costs low, so most styles on the site are less than $25. You can’t find this level of quality at those prices anywhere else. Also, on our site, customers shop for “baby” and “kids” instead of “boys” and “girls”. We are not prescriptive about which styles and colors are appropriate for whom. Our value of simplicity and inclusivity are resonating with this generation of parents.
What market does Primary target and how big is it?
Primary targets the $30B US kids clothing market.
What’s your business model?
We are a direct-to-consumer operation and have a compressed supply chain to keep costs low. At this point, we do not have any brick-and-mortar locations but are starting to think about physical retail as a great opportunity to introduce new customers to the brand.
What was the funding process like?
Fundraising is never easy, but we have been very fortunate to have amazing investors who stand behind us and our mission 100%. One of the biggest things we’ve learned about fundraising is the importance of what we refer to as “following the breadcrumbs.” We have found amazing supporters in so many unlikely ways, often by one person leading to another, to another. This has led us to an amazing partnership with our board and investors.
What are the biggest challenges that you faced while raising capital?
Our biggest challenge with raising capital is always trying to balance the time it takes to do that well while also running the business. We have an amazing team but being on the road a ton for a few months is always hard.
What factors about your business led your investors to write the check?
Our mission around inclusivity and the strength and passion of our team have been the most instrumental factors for our investors – many of whom also personally connect to the brand and are among our best customers. Investors have also been attracted to the size of the market, and our unique approach within it, offering a solution for busy parents.
How has your founding team’s experience at Diapers.com shaped the trajectory of this company?
Our experience at Diapers.com was truly amazing. Founders Marc and Vinit were incredible leaders who taught us that inspiring customer passion is central to building a great business and also that you can be both kind and successful. “No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
No sharp elbows” has been one of our core values at Primary since the beginning and has helped us build what we think is a very special culture and a team that cares a lot about each other and our mission to be the most inclusive clothing brand. That authenticity has been critical to everything we do and is a big part of why our customers are so passionate about the brand.
What are the milestones you plan to achieve in the next six months?
This new round of funding will allow us to evolve through the introduction of content, more stylish essentials and expansion into new categories, including adult. This evolution remains true to our mission of gender-neutral pieces in bold colors and whimsical patterns, offering consumers the opportunity to create a wardrobe curated by Primary. This fall, we will also introduce pieces for the entire family, as well as new designs, fabrics and patterns.
What advice can you offer companies in New York that do not have a fresh injection of capital in the bank?
Find a way! We have definitely had to navigate through moments where we didn’t have fresh capital and it really forces you to think about what is the most important – in a really good way. Be scrappy, something we try to do even when we do have fresh capital – to avoid getting ahead of ourselves.
Where do you see the company going now over the near term?
We have a very passionate customer base and want to continue creating awesome quality clothing in the softest fabrics we can find, at prices that make sense. We have a lot of great new styles and colors on the horizon for babies and kids – including new classic patterns like polka dots and stars as well as new categories. Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
Since the beginning, parents have been asking us for pieces they can wear too, so we’re also exploring a small capsule of adult pieces. We truly see Primary as a lifestyle and want to be a guiding voice in the market for all consumers beyond just parents and families.
What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?
We find ourselves at L’Amico a lot! It is right around the corner from our office and the food is great – we always go with the intention of getting this amazing salad with salmon but always somehow also end up with a pizza.
