The best clothing starts with understanding the people who will wear it.

At Stitch Fix, we have a unique view into what our clients want and need from their wardrobes. Every day, thousands of clients share feedback through their Fixes and conversations with their Stylists, telling us what fits, what they love, what they wish they could find and what they’re getting dressed for. Sometimes it’s a new job or a special occasion. Other times, it’s simply finding clothes that make busy mornings a little easier.

These insights are central to how we develop our 10 exclusive private brands for Men, Women and Kids. I love getting to create special pieces made especially for our clients— it’s what sets Stitch Fix apart and enables us to serve our clients like no other retailer can. 

How does Stitch Fix develop its private brands?

We start by listening. Client data, direct feedback and insights from our Stylists help us understand what’s working for clients and what’s missing from their wardrobes. Our merchandising experts translate that understanding into product decisions, from fit and color to the placement of a pocket.

Technology is also helping us move from insight to design faster than ever.

Our merchandising experts use generative AI alongside our teams’ expertise to explore and refine colors, prints and silhouettes more efficiently. What once took months can now happen in as little as a week, allowing us to develop complete collections and respond more quickly to what our clients are looking for.

We use Style Shuffle, our interactive style-rating experience,  to gather client feedback on AI-designed clothing concepts as part of our seasonal private-brand development process. In 2026, clients submitted more than 14 million ratings on nearly 2,800 images, helping inform upcoming collections.

How has Stitch Fix used client feedback to design a collection?

One of my favorite recent examples of how we use client insights to create clothing that meets their needs is our 41 Hawthorn capsule collection for teachers.

To develop the collection, we analyzed nearly 5,000 teaching related Fix requests and spoke directly with teachers about what they needed from their clothing. We heard how important it was to feel comfortable and put together throughout the school day, with pieces that allowed for movement and provided the right coverage. Those insights shaped practical details like three-quarter-length sleeves to help prevent marker stains when writing on the whiteboard and layers for changing classroom temperatures.

Clients are responding enthusiastically to the collection, with their feedback reflecting the very needs that inspired it. Our 41 Hawthorn CozyCash Light sweaters have performed particularly well, with clients highlighting their softness and comfort. We’re also seeing a strong response to the flattering fits and all-day wearability of our Grading Papers Shirt.

These are the same details teachers told us mattered most when we were developing the collection. Seeing that feedback come full circle is a great reminder of why listening to our clients is so important.

And we bring that same thinking to each of our private brands, considering not just how a piece looks, but how it fits into someone’s wardrobe and what will make them reach for it again and again.

How does Stitch Fix think about balancing private brands and market brands?

Our goal is to offer an assortment that meets each client’s individual tastes, needs and lifestyle. That means bringing together our private brands, market brands and exclusive collaborations to give our Stylists a wide range of options when curating each Fix.

Our private brands allow us to respond directly to what we’re hearing from clients and create pieces designed around their needs. We’re also continuing to expand our market brand assortment, adding more than 80 new brands in FY26, while collaborations like our recent partnership with Favorite Daughter that celebrates moms give us another way to create special pieces for our clients.

Ultimately, we want clients to find pieces they reach for again and again—and brands they come back to by name. When a client asks their Stylist for a favorite private brand, it tells us we’re building something that belongs in their wardrobe.