Showpo
Australia
Showpo is an Australian online fashion retailer for young women, founded by Jane Lu in 2010 as Show Pony. It sells dresses, tops, shoes, bags and accessories, including bridal and plus-size ranges. It matters as one of the better known Australian digital native fashion brands.
| Founded | 2010 (as Show Pony) |
|---|---|
| Founder | Jane Lu |
| Headquarters | Sydney, Australia |
| Model | Online only since 2013 (per Wikipedia) |
| Range | Womenswear, shoes, accessories |
| Segment | Digital-native and DTC brands |
| Website | showpo.com |
What is Showpo?
Showpo is an Australian online retailer of women's fashion. Its website describes women's fashion for every event, from casual to bridal and from beach to bar, and lists dresses, tops, shoes, bags, jewellery, sunglasses, hair accessories, bridesmaid dresses, a plus-size Curve range and sale items.
History
According to Wikipedia, Showpo launched in 2010 under the name Show Pony. Jane Lu is named as co-founder and chief executive and the company is based in Sydney, New South Wales. Wikipedia says it closed its profitable physical stores in 2013 to operate solely online.
Business model and distribution
Showpo sells mainly to young women through its own online store, with the site offering a Rest of World option alongside local currency pricing. Wikipedia reported that about 35 per cent of sales were international as of 2017 and that a US warehouse in Los Angeles supported a US launch in August 2017. These are historical figures and may have changed since.
Marketing
Wikipedia describes social media branding as the company's biggest competitive advantage, citing 1.1 million Instagram followers and 895,100 Facebook likes as of May 2017. The figures are dated and are quoted only as a historical indication of the brand's social led approach.
Why it matters
Showpo is a reference case for Australian direct to consumer womenswear built on social media rather than stores or wholesale. The pages reviewed do not state the current ownership or give recent financial results, so neither is covered here, and no technology partnerships are documented.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Showpo?
Jane Lu is named as co-founder and chief executive on Wikipedia. The business launched in 2010 under the name Show Pony.
Where is Showpo from?
Showpo is an Australian brand based in Sydney. Wikipedia says it moved to online only trading in 2013.