Key Takeaways:
- Z Supply built its denim launch around several touchpoints instead of a single moment.
- A curated group tested the denim before launch, followed by events in New York and Newport Beach.
- The brand tracked results across earned media, social, events, and retail.
If you were on social media in August and followed Z Supply, it was hard to miss the brand’s rollout of its new denim line.
The multi-pronged launch included a pre-launch test-and-trial program, an intimate gifting suite in New York for priority editors and creators, and a consumer pop-up with VIP gifting in Newport Beach, Calif. Together, the efforts led to millions in reach and impressions on two coasts.
Mandy Fry, President and co-owner of Z Supply, talked with us about why the brand entered denim, how the two events differed, and what the results showed.
(Related story: Z Supply is Bigger Than You Think)
Why did Z Supply decide to expand into denim now, and what gap in the collection or market was it meant to fill?
Mandy Fry, President and co-owner, Z Supply:Â The demand was already there. Across our wholesale network, customers and retail partners had been asking for five-pocket premium denim to complement our existing assortment.
Rather than rush into the category, we took the time to identify the right mills, sourcing partners, and denim experts to build it properly. Once the right team and product were in place, expanding into five-pocket denim became a natural evolution of our lifestyle offering. It brings the same effortless, everyday approach we’re known for to one of the most foundational pieces in a woman’s wardrobe.
For us, this was not treated as another seasonal collection. Denim represents a new division for Z Supply and an important next chapter in our evolution.
A shopper browsing the new Z Supply denim collection at the brand’s Lido pop-up in Newport Beach, Calif. Photo courtesy of Z Supply.
What made you choose the specific NYC location and format, and how did that event compare in scale to Newport Beach?
Mandy Fry: The NYC event was intentionally intimate. Rather than creating another large-scale activation, we wanted a discovery and relationship-building environment where priority editors and creators could spend time with the collection, seeing, touching, and trying on the different silhouettes and selecting the fits that worked best for them.
I was on-site and met one-on-one with guests, which gave me the chance to personally share the story behind the collection, our expansion into denim, and the broader evolution of the brand.
Newport Beach was intentionally different in scale and purpose. It took that same denim story and opened it up to a much larger consumer audience through an immersive retail experience, VIP gifting, and broader media and creator amplification.
Mandy Fry, left, greeting editors and creators at the Z Supply launch event in NYC. Photo courtesy of Z Supply.
How did you approach social content and influencer/creator partnerships for the launch?
Mandy Fry:Â Rather than relying on a single launch moment, we created multiple opportunities for editors and creators to discover and experience the product firsthand.
Ahead of launch, we invited a curated group to select denim for test and trial using a custom fit guide that introduced the different silhouettes, fits, and specifications. That early product discovery continued through the NYC gifting suite and ultimately the Newport Beach activation, creating a progression from product education and trial to experiential storytelling and organic social amplification.
At the NYC event, 33 tagged posts generated a reach of approximately 1.1 million, while VIP gifting surrounding the Newport Beach activation generated 96 posts and approximately 5.2 million impressions.
The Z Supply NYC event. Photo courtesy of Z Supply.
What metrics did you use to gauge success, and did the launch strategy drive measurable impact on online sales and wholesale accounts?
Mandy Fry: We looked at success holistically across earned media, social and influencer engagement, event participation, and retail performance.
At the Newport Beach activation alone, the pop-up generated $28,409 in retail revenue.
VIP gifting generated 96 posts and approximately 5.2 million impressions, while our social content surrounding the activation generated 91.5K views, up 85.8% year-over-year, and reached 48K accounts, up 366.2% year-over-year.
The broader denim communications campaign also generated significant national earned-media visibility across fashion, lifestyle, broadcast, and commerce media.
The denim launch included a print lifestyle publication about the new line. Photo courtesy of Z Supply.
What’s the biggest lesson learned from executing a launch of this scale?
Mandy Fry: The biggest lesson for me was to trust the vision and trust the team. Entering denim was a major step for Z Supply, and we knew we couldn’t approach it like just another collection. We needed the right product, the right people, and complete alignment across the organization.
Seeing women try on the denim firsthand, find multiple fits they loved, and tell us how great it felt and fit was the most meaningful validation, and for me, the best part of our events.
Denim is a new division for Z Supply, and this is only the beginning. We’re continuing to listen, learn, and make it even stronger. I believe the best brands stay close to their customers.
The Newport Beach event included a sketch artist and drawings of shoppers. Photo courtesy of Z Supply.
