Naadam is rapidly expanding its retail footprint, and having fun while doing so.
In 2018, the sustainable cashmere brand opened its first store, a 1,000-square-foot unit at 392 Bleecker Street in Manhattan. This opening came just months after the brand revealed it raised $16 million in Series A funding, which was led by private equity firm Vanterra Capita and had participation from Silas Chou’s Torch Capital; U-Start Club, a venture capital firm that syndicates investments from Italian and Swiss family offices into global high-growth digital ventures; Trail Post Ventures, and Plug and Play Ventures.
Fast-forward to 2024, the New York City-based brand is furthering its retail expansion with five new locations: two in the city, one in Dallas, one in Chicago and one in Boca Raton, Fla. — all before the end of October.
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By introducing these new locations, Naadam’s chief executive officer and cofounder, Matthew Scanlan, noted that the brand can share its story more effectively in markets where they’ve had previous success.
“While our online presence has been successful, there’s a limit to what we can convey through digital channels alone,” Scanlan told WWD. “Having physical stores allows us to showcase our products in person, bridging the gap between our online accomplishments and the in-store shopping experience. This hands-on approach helps customers truly understand and appreciate what we offer.”
Sinfully Soft
The retail expansion news comes just days after the brand launched its “Soft as Hell” campaign, featuring comedian Anthony LeDonne as the devil.
Shot by celebrity photographer Justin Bettman, the campaign highlights the “cult-like obsession” with cashmere, showcasing the devil engaging in “soft” activities like enjoying treats, playing with kittens and doing laundry.
“After developing an obsession with Naadam cashmere, the devil became a serious softie,” Naadam’s website reads. ”While his 9-5 is spent ruling the underworld, his 5-9 now revolves around satisfying his love for soft things.”
In the campaign, the devil models various Naadam cashmere pieces, including the “Sinfully Soft Sweater,” a 100 percent cashmere crewneck made from premium, sustainable cashmere. This sweater, designed in a classic fit and embroidered with the devil’s horns and tail, retails for $98.
While the campaign did ruffle a few feathers, Scanlan said “if you’re not doing something to get people’s attention, you shouldn’t do it at all.”
“I think this is the most fun we’ve ever had building a marketing campaign. Testing the boundaries has always been part of our DNA, and for good reason — after all, we make cashmere sweaters. If we’re not going to have some fun with it, what are we doing? We’ve learned that our messages need a practical purpose; we’re not just saying the craziest thing or showing wild images for no reason,” Scanlan added. “Our core message is simple: We make soft stuff. My goal isn’t to offend people for the sake of offense, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. One of our values is that if we can’t laugh at ourselves and have fun, then we shouldn’t be doing this — and the devil fits that criteria perfectly.”
To support its campaign and retail expansion, Naadam will host a series of mobile activations, including its first pop-ups in Boston, New York City, Chicago and Bethesda, Md. Each activation will feature a hellish mobile unit on the outside and the devil’s house on the inside. The first stop will take place this Saturday in Domino Park from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., followed by Sunday in Madison Square Park at the same time.
The pop-up will offer free workouts with The Sculpt Society (available only in NYC, Boston and Chicago), complimentary cashmere for the first 25 attendees, premium treats from Behave Candy, Swoon Lemonade and Iced Teas, Muddy Bites, Saint James Iced Tea and exclusive discounts on Naadam cashmere.
“This campaign is part of a long line of great campaigns we’ve done and really showcases our efforts to push boundaries. It fits perfectly with what I love about my job and what I love about Naadam,” Scanlan said. “We’ve been around for almost a decade, and I’ve learned that there are absolutely no shortcuts in building a brand. Building a brand takes time, and you need to consistently create good products. We’re now ready to share this good product with an ever-wider audience.”
