14 New York investors patronizing fashion and apparel brands in 2026

New York closed $2.1B in fashion and apparel deals across 180+ investments in 2025. Most capital went to DTC apparel brands and fashion tech platforms, not traditional wholesale fashion. NYC investors want proven customer acquisition economics and repeat purchase rates above 30%. You won't raise here with just good taste and a Shopify store.

Quick list

Why New York works for fashion fundraising

New York has 40+ active investors backing fashion companies. DTC apparel brands get more capital than wholesale because investors want customer data and higher margins. Average seed round for fashion brands here is $2M, Series A is $10M. Traditional fashion houses don't raise VC, only brands with tech-enabled operations or novel business models.

The advantage is talent and infrastructure. Fashion designers, production partners, and showrooms are all in NYC. If you need to hire experienced fashion operators or build brand credibility, New York matters more than SF. The disadvantage is higher customer acquisition costs and intense competition for attention. Your Instagram ads cost 40% more targeting NYC customers than midwest markets.

NYC fashion investors split between consumer brand generalists and fashion specialists. Generalists like Greycroft want proven DTC economics. Fashion-specific funds like Blisce understand gross margins and production cycles that scare typical VCs. Know which type matches your stage and business model.

Picking the right New York fashion investor

Local presence matters significantly for physical fashion brands. NYC investors want to see samples, understand fabric quality, and meet your production partners. For fashion tech platforms, location matters less unless you're working with NYC fashion houses or designers. Then local relationships with brands like Coach, Michael Kors, or emerging designers help with partnerships. Knowing how to protect your pitch deck is essential in New York, where decks circulate fast and competitive ideas spread quickly.

Portfolio companies show if they back apparel brands versus fashion tech. Funds like Blisce and Female Founders Fund invest in clothing brands. Funds like FJ Labs want marketplaces or platforms. Don't pitch a sustainable clothing line to investors who only back fashion marketplaces. Check if they've invested in your price point and category. Luxury fashion investors don't understand fast fashion economics.

Check sizes for fashion brands are typically $1.5-3M for seed rounds. Series A for proven DTC brands runs $8-15M. Fashion tech platforms can raise traditional software rounds of $3-5M seed and $15-25M Series A. Match your funding needs to their typical deal size and understand most fashion investors want to see $5M+ annual revenue before Series A.

Local network in NYC fashion investing means connections to production partners, fashion media, and retail distribution. Ask if they can intro you to Vogue, WWD, or major department store buyers. The best NYC fashion investors can connect you to Saks, Nordstrom, or Bloomingdale's merchandising teams if you're pursuing wholesale alongside DTC.

Communication about your unit economics needs to be detailed. Upload your deck to Ellty and share trackable links with each investor. You'll see if they actually review your customer cohort analysis or skip to brand story slides. NYC fashion investors care more about repeat purchase rates and contribution margin than influencer partnerships or runway shows.

Follow-on capacity varies significantly. Most fashion-specific funds are small and can't lead Series B. Larger consumer funds like Forerunner or Greycroft can take you through growth rounds. Plan your Series B strategy before raising seed because fashion brands that need to switch investor types between rounds often struggle with valuation and terms.

How to find and approach New York fashion investors

Research local deals by following fashion tech announcements on WWD, Glossy, and The Business of Fashion. Most fashion investment under $10M doesn't get mainstream coverage. Check Crunchbase for smaller rounds in your specific category. Investors who led $2M rounds for similar brands will respond faster than mega-funds chasing the next Warby Parker. When founders pitch in New York, strong screenshot protection helps protect creative assets and confidential strategy slides from being circulated informally.

Leverage local ecosystem through CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) and Fashion Tech Forum events. Many successful fashion founders started as designers or buyers first. Those connections matter more than typical startup accelerators. New York Fashion Week events and Decoded Fashion conferences connect you to investors who actually attend fashion industry gatherings, not just generic pitch events.

Build relationships first by inviting investors to see your showroom or attend pop-up shops if you have them. NYC fashion investors want to touch fabrics, see construction quality, and understand your aesthetic firsthand before pitch meetings. If you're building fashion tech, get pilots with known NYC brands first. Partnerships with Kith, Outdoor Voices, or emerging designers matter more than your pitch deck. Share your materials via Ellty so you can track which investors are reviewing between in-person meetings.

Attend local events where fashion investors actually appear. The Business of Fashion VOICES conference and Decoded Fashion are where fashion deals happen. Skip general consumer brand pitch events. Womenswear in Nevada, Coterie trade show, and Fashion Tech Forum attract investors who understand fashion business economics, not just DTC growth rates.

Connect with portfolio founders from funds you're targeting. NYC fashion founders share investor experiences openly because the community is tight and competitive. LinkedIn intros work but meeting at CFDA events or fashion week parties builds real relationships faster. Be direct about learning their fundraising timeline and investor diligence process.

Organize due diligence early if you're an apparel brand. Set up an Ellty data room with cohort analysis, inventory turnover rates, and gross margin by product category. NYC fashion investors will ask for this immediately. Have your fabric costs, production lead times, and working capital needs documented before you start pitching.

Understand local pace which is 8-12 weeks from first meeting to term sheet for fashion brands with traction. Pre-revenue brands take 16-24 weeks because investors want to see multiple product drops and customer response. If you're raising for fashion tech, expect 10-14 weeks. Established brands with $5M+ revenue close faster, often 6-8 weeks. NYC investors expect serious founders to already understand GDPR principles for document sharing, especially when audience and user data is involved.

New York fashion investor expectations

New York’s venture capital scene still favors scalable, metrics-driven businesses, which means founders need to present numbers that feel as defensible as SaaS. NYC fashion investors want to see 60%+ gross margins for apparel brands. They know fashion requires working capital for inventory and can't operate on software economics. If your gross margins are below 55%, most investors assume you can't afford customer acquisition costs and stay profitable. DTC brands need repeat purchase rates above 30% within 12 months to get Series A interest.

Inventory management scares investors more than customer acquisition costs. If you're carrying more than 4 months of inventory or markdown rates exceed 20%, that kills most deals. NYC investors understand fashion seasonality better than West Coast VCs but they won't fund brands that can't forecast demand accurately.

14 top fashion investors in New York

1. Springboard Enterprises

Early backer of Rent the Runway with deep understanding of fashion business models.

• Recent Deals: Rent the Runway ($8M Series A, early investor), Eloquii plus-size fashion ($15M, 2023), Dia&Co personalized styling ($40M Series C, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Kay Koplovitz LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: women's fashion, apparel brands, fashion tech, retail innovation
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: sb.co

2. Greycroft

Consumer investors who backed Reformation and understand fashion brand scaling.

• Recent Deals: Reformation sustainable fashion ($12M Series B, early investor), Outdoor Voices activewear ($60M Series C, 2023), Cuyana accessories ($30M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Dana Settle LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: DTC fashion, apparel brands, fashion tech, sustainable fashion
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: SoHo, Manhattan
• Website: greycroft.com

3. FJ Labs

Marketplace specialists who backed ThredUp and Poshmark early.

• Recent Deals: ThredUp resale marketplace (early investor, IPO 2021), Poshmark (early investor, acquired by Naver $1.2B), Vestiaire Collective luxury resale ($216M Series E, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Fabrice Grinda LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: fashion marketplaces, resale platforms, peer-to-peer fashion
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: fjlabs.com

4. Lerer Hippeau

Early Warby Parker investor with strong NYC consumer brand network.

• Recent Deals: Warby Parker (seed investor, IPO 2021 at $6B valuation), Everlane sustainable fashion ($15M Series C, 2023), Italic wholesale fashion ($20M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Ben Lerer LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: fashion brands, apparel DTC, fashion tech, accessories
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: SoHo, Manhattan
• Website: lererhippeau.com

5. Silas Capital

Consumer brand specialists focused on emerging lifestyle brands.

• Recent Deals: Outdoor Voices activewear ($60M valuation, 2023), Away luggage (early investor, $1.4B valuation), Italic wholesale brands ($20M, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Anushka Shetty LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: DTC apparel, lifestyle brands, fashion accessories, activewear
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: silascapital.com

6. Blisce

Fashion-only fund that exclusively invests in apparel and accessories brands.

• Recent Deals: TALA sustainable activewear ($15M, 2024), Aimé Leon Dore streetwear ($30M, 2023), Multiple emerging fashion brands $2-5M
• LinkedIn: Dhani Mau LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: apparel brands only, sustainable fashion, streetwear, accessories
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A
• Office Location: Active in NYC
• Website: blisce.com

7. Female Founders Fund

Backs women-led fashion and consumer brands with strong track record.

• Recent Deals: THINX period underwear ($10M Series B, 2023), Eloquii plus-size fashion ($15M, 2023), Summersalt swimwear ($17M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Anu Duggal LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: women's fashion, apparel brands, intimate apparel, accessories
• Stage Focus: pre-seed, seed, Series A
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: femalefoundersfund.com

8. Forerunner Ventures

Consumer brand investors who backed Glossier and Reformation early.

• Recent Deals: Glossier beauty (early investor, $1.8B valuation), Reformation sustainable fashion (early investor, $1B+ valuation), Aday sustainable apparel ($8M, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Kirsten Green LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: DTC fashion, sustainable apparel, beauty-fashion crossover brands
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: San Francisco HQ, very active in NYC
• Website: forerunnerventures.com

9. Index Ventures

Backed Farfetch and Net-a-Porter, focuses on luxury fashion tech.

• Recent Deals: Farfetch luxury marketplace (early investor, acquired by Coupang), Vestiaire Collective luxury resale ($216M Series E, 2024), Depop resale (acquired by Etsy $1.6B)
• LinkedIn: Danny Rimer LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: luxury fashion tech, fashion marketplaces, premium apparel platforms
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Office Location: London/SF HQ, active in NYC deals
• Website: indexventures.com

10. Moderne Ventures

Backs fashion tech and retail innovation from NYC office.

• Recent Deals: Showfields experiential retail ($30M Series B, 2023), Bulletin wholesale platform ($15M, 2023), Multiple fashion tech seed deals
• LinkedIn: Constance Freedman LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: fashion tech, retail innovation, wholesale platforms, fashion infrastructure
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: moderneventures.com

11. Closed Loop Partners

Sustainable fashion focus, backs circular economy and resale platforms.

• Recent Deals: Treet circular fashion platform ($8M, 2024), For Days clothing recycling ($8M Series A, 2023), ThredUp (growth investment in sustainable resale)
• LinkedIn: Ron Gonen LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: sustainable fashion, circular economy, fashion recycling, resale tech
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Manhattan
• Website: closedlooppartners.com

12. Collaborative Fund

Consumer brand investors focused on sustainable and mission-driven fashion.

• Recent Deals: Allbirds sustainable footwear (early investor, IPO 2021), Reformation (growth investment), Parade sustainable intimates ($8M Series A, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Craig Shapiro LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: sustainable fashion, eco-friendly apparel, mission-driven brands
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Brooklyn
• Website: collaborativefund.com

13. Imaginary Ventures

Luxury and premium fashion brands, culturally relevant consumer companies.

• Recent Deals: Madhappy mental health streetwear ($28M Series B, 2024), Alo Yoga wellness apparel ($200M Series A, 2023), KOIO luxury sneakers ($6M, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Nick Brown LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: luxury fashion, premium streetwear, culturally relevant apparel brands
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Los Angeles HQ, active NYC presence
• Website: imaginary.vc

14. M13

Consumer brand investors who back fashion alongside other lifestyle categories.

• Recent Deals: Daily Harvest (growth investment), Ring (acquired by Amazon), Multiple consumer apparel brands seed through Series B
• LinkedIn: Courtney Reum LinkedIn
• Sector Focus: DTC fashion, lifestyle brands, apparel brands, consumer goods
• Stage Focus: seed, Series A, Series B
• Office Location: Los Angeles HQ, active in NYC market
• Website: m13.co

Start tracking your New York fashion investor outreach

These 14 investors closed NYC fashion and apparel deals in 2025-2026. Before you start reaching out to New York funds, understand they'll want to see your products and understand your brand positioning in person. Fashion investors don't fund pitch decks alone, they fund taste and execution.

Upload your lookbook and financial deck to Ellty and create unique tracking links for each investor. You'll see which slides matter to different investor types. Fashion-specialist funds like Blisce spend time on product design and brand story. Consumer generalists like Greycroft focus on unit economics and customer acquisition costs. Track which investors review your cohort analysis versus brand positioning before follow-ups.

When fashion investors ask for production costs, inventory reports, or sales data by SKU, share an Ellty data room instead of scattered spreadsheets. Your bill of materials, production partner agreements, and inventory turnover by category in one secure place. NYC fashion investors expect organized diligence because they've seen too many brands fail from poor inventory management and working capital crunches.

Common questions

Do I need to be based in New York to raise from NYC fashion investors?

For physical apparel brands, it helps significantly. NYC investors want to see samples, visit your showroom, and understand your brand aesthetic in person. For fashion tech platforms, no, but having NYC fashion brands as customers or partners matters. If you're building in LA, you might find better investors there who understand West Coast fashion and production.

How does New York compare to Los Angeles for fashion fundraising?

NYC has more capital for luxury and premium fashion brands. LA has more investors for activewear, streetwear, and influencer-driven brands. NYC investors understand fashion business fundamentals and gross margins better. LA investors care more about brand heat and social media presence. Average check sizes are similar but NYC expects more proven business metrics before investing.

What's the average seed round size for fashion companies in New York?

$1.5M to $3M for apparel brands with initial traction and product-market fit. Fashion tech platforms can raise $2-4M seed rounds. If you're pre-product or pre-revenue, institutional capital is nearly impossible unless you have strong fashion industry credentials. Most fashion brands bootstrap to $1M+ revenue before raising institutional seed rounds.

Should I raise locally or go to dedicated fashion VCs for funding?

Depends on your brand positioning. Luxury and premium NYC brands should raise from NYC investors who understand the local market and have relationships with fashion media and retail. If you're building sustainable fashion, funds like Closed Loop Partners or Collaborative Fund understand that specifically. Many successful fashion brands do seed with generalist consumer funds, then raise Series A from fashion specialists.

Do New York fashion investors expect in-person meetings?

Always for apparel brands. They'll want to see your products, touch fabrics, and understand quality firsthand. For fashion tech, first meetings can happen on Zoom but serious investors will want to visit your office and see product demos. Expect to meet 4-6 times before term sheets, including showroom visits and product review sessions.

What fashion categories get funded most in New York?

Sustainable fashion and DTC apparel brands get the most VC capital. Fashion tech platforms and resale marketplaces also attract significant investment. Activewear and athleisure remain popular. Traditional wholesale fashion almost never raises VC. Luxury fashion gets interest from specific funds like Imaginary Ventures but most luxury brands bootstrap or use debt financing.

How important is fashion industry experience for founders?

Very important for apparel brands. NYC investors won't fund first-time fashion founders unless you have strong co-founders with design or production experience. For fashion tech, industry experience helps but isn't required if you have fashion brands as customers and advisors. Investors want to see you understand fashion business cycles, production lead times, and inventory challenges either from working in fashion or deep customer discovery.