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 The Trunk Club is Revolutionizing the way men go shopping! With her headquarters located in Bend, Oregon founder Joanna Van Vleck is quickly changing the way busy male professionals do shopping with the Trunk Club.
A membership based club that provides a social atmosphere while Van Vleck and her handpicked group of experts take all the hard work out of going shopping. After a “discovery” interview to get to know her clients lifestyle and budget needs, clients are able to go to a clubroom and have only things that fit their needs laid out in front of them. The recent addition of the Virtual Clubroom has made this attraction available to gentlemen in areas without a showroom. The Trunk Club’s expansion efforts have reached the web, while making progress along the west coast and towards the east coast with an establishment is expected to be placed in Baltimore, Md. While the brick and mortar sites may not be available at the moment the Virtual Clubroom is still able to bring this personalized buying experience to your front door. Together, we’ll learn how a brilliant idea has begun to take the Northwest, America, and the World by storm…read on! BE: What year was the Trunk Club Founded?
Van Vleck: We got the idea at the end of 2006 and we officially started at the beginning of 2007. BE: Is there a particular reason you chose to name your business the Trunk Club?
Van Vleck: Not particularly, it was just a name that came to me and it seemed to fit, so we went with it. BE: How did you get your start as a stylist?
Van Vleck: I actually was trained and certified at a school in Toronto as an image consultant. I was working with individuals on their personal style. Specifically the niche and need for men and redefining not only their style but the way that they traditionally shop and buy clothes. There had been so much negative association with the idea of men and shopping. BE: Why work with men?
Van Vleck: There are not too many businesses out there that are just experts on men. When we were doing our market analysis we wanted to make our target market as defined as possible. We work with successful executive and entrepreneurs only. BE: There’s an application process for your services, correct?
Van Vleck: Yes, we usually do this through a one on one interview in our showroom. We have just recently made the application available on our website as well. Both just take them through our process but the virtual application is a bit different then if they applied in person. After they apply they speak with a Trunk Club consultant to see if it will be the right fit or not. They later receive a discovery interview, and from that point they are officially a Trunk Club member and the fun begins. BE: What actually happens in your showrooms?
Van Vleck: They are not open to the public and they’re use is by appointment only. It’s like walking into a store designated just for you. The only clothes there are ones that fit you, are in your budget, and fit into your lifestyle. They are all laid out and all the member has to do is chose. You are catered drinks and met with top notch service. We also open up the showroom as a club type atmosphere that allows vintage wine tasting and networking opportunities with other members. It really brings in a social aspect to being a member of Trunk Club. We also let members make reservations to bring in guest to be entertained. BE: You are currently putting showrooms all over the country correct?
Van Vleck: Yes, were actually growing across the country and developing a franchise offering. Soon we will be selling our self as a franchise. But there are currently plans for locations in Los Angeles, Denver, Baltimore, Boise, Sacramento, Seattle and San Francisco. BE: How can I take advantage of what you offer if I don’t live near one of those cities?
Van Vleck: The Trunk Club Virtual Clubroom would suit you perfectly. It allows you to be a member regardless of geography and still receive the same service as if you had come to a brick and mortar location. The consulting time frame and product delivery is exactly the same as if you had seen us in person—which is 10 days or less. BE: Since you’ve started providing your virtual service, where has your furthest order come from?
Van Vleck: We just recently had a gentlemen place an order from Africa. BE: Does every customer have their own unique style?
Van Vleck: Every customer has their own style that we cater to. Our product side of the company works specifically toward the needs of each member. We bring in the brands that will be used for each member. There is no shopping for the man involved only buying, they show up and decide what works and what doesn’t with their expert consultant. BE: So consulting is done on a one-on-one basis with the customer?
Van Vleck: You work with one consultant through your entire experience with the Trunk Club. We don’t pawn you off to move on to the next member. BE: How does your company manage to stay on top of what’s going on in the fashion world?
Van Vleck: Our product side stays on top of what brands are in and out. It is more than just understanding styles and trends for us. It is about understanding the men’s lifestyle and what is happening in their business world that determines how they dress and what they will need from the Trunk Club. BE: What is the turn around time for your services?
Van Vleck: It takes us no more than 10 days. BE: How many members do you have?
Van Vleck: We currently have a few hundred with more coming in everyday. BE: On average how often do members use your services?
Van Vleck: Our members are guaranteed four showings per year that provide everything that they will need for each season. We do allow are members to utilize us whenever they need to so some come once a month. BE: Are your clients looking to follow trends or are they trying to set their own?
Van Vleck: I would say they are all along the spectrum. However our clients are more about dressing in a sophisticated, upscale, up to date manner and how that translates to their business. Are they required to wear suits everyday to work or are they an entrepreneur who can dress business casual but still want to look appropriate is a big factor. BE: Do clients give feedback or do they just accept whatever you chose for them?
Van Vleck: Oh no there is a lot of feedback involved. We encourage our clients to give feedback. BE: Being in the fashion industry, what contacts have you made?
Van Vleck: We work with most of the name brands that people are familiar with. We are also able to build the visibility of some lesser known brands which is very unique. However, it is more about what brand is right for each individual member, not what brands the Trunk Club carries. BE: What’s the biggest challenge you face in trying to build a successful company?
Van Vleck: Finding the right people to work with and affiliate with our company. BE: You are going through the expansion process right now. What type of people are you looking to incorporate into your sales force?
Van Vleck: We are looking for individuals who are evangelist for the Trunk Club concept. We want people who are excited in introducing a whole new way of how men buy clothing. BE: Your original partner backed out, right?
Van Vleck: There isn’t any animosity between us. But one day out of the blue she came and said she didn’t want to be apart of it anymore and she wanted to move on. BE: How did you handle that situation?
Van Vleck: It was a bit of a shocker but it was definitely a situation that we were able to roll with the punches. I believe that everything happens for a reason, so we have been able to take her role and divide it amongst a few key people within the company. Taking that role and dividing it up has actually turned out to be what was best for the company. BE: Do you see Trunk Club, providing its service to women or children in the future?
Van Vleck: We would like to expand to women in the future. BE: Do you see any problems with providing your services to women?
Van Vleck: I think one of the major problems for women will be the consistency of sizing. Men’s clothing sizes are a lot more consistent than women’s clothing and that is a hurdle that we have often thought of in regards to expanding our services to women. BE: How do you go about choosing what products will be made available?
Van Vleck: We actually represent our customers so we go to the distributors and say these are the products we need based on the discovery analysis we perform on our members. BE: Do you just provide clothing for your members?
We go the whole nine yards for our members. That includes casual wear, business wear, accessories, and shoes. We provide our members everything they need when it comes to fashion. BE: How much traveling do you do yourself?
Van Vleck: As we expand I have been doing quite a bit of traveling to work with consultants in the new locations. I’m not sure when that will slow down—probably no time soon but that is okay. BE: Can you give me a tip or rule men should know when it comes to fashion?
Van Vleck: There are so many. I would say one of the hardest things for men is business casual which most people wear the majority of the time. So one tip would be not to dress too casual and actually put the same amount of thought into dressing casual as you would for business attire. Vist the Trunk Club |
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