Chicago startup Mac & Mia just raised a new round of funding to bring its kids apparel box service to more parents.
Mac & Mia announced Thursday that it has raised $5 million in Series A funding for its service that helps parents find stylish clothes for their kids. Investors in the round include Chicago Ventures, KGC Capital, Sam Yagan's Corazon Capital and Emerisque Ventures. Mac & Mia has now raised $9 million in venture funding to date.
Similar to Trunk Club or Stitch Fix, Mac & Mia connects parents with stylists who choose pieces from Mac & Mia’s inventory that best suit their child's needs. Parents receive a box in the mail with pieces of clothing, and they can keep what they want and send back what they don't like.
The startup says it works with over 150 specialty kids clothing brands, offering sizes from newborn to size 10. Prices vary, but users pay a $20 styling fee per box, and the average price per item is $35 for apparel and $12 for accessories. If users keep two items, the $20 fee is applied to the total order. Mac & Mia doesn't require users to sign up for a subscription service.
The idea is to save parents the time and stress of having to scour the internet and department store aisles looking for the right outfit for their kids.
"Our team of dedicated stylists delivers a unique, personalized experience that is bringing real value to busy families,” founder Marie Tillman said in a statement. Tillman is the widow of Pat Tillman, the former NFL player turned U.S. soldier who died in Afghanistan in 2004.
In the last 12 months, Mac & Mia has added 100 part-time stylists to its team, and expects to triple that number this year. The majority of these stylists are parents themselves, Tillman said, giving stay-at-home parents an opportunity to earn income while being with their children.
"Part of our mission is to empower women and men who want to maintain a career, while achieving a better work-life balance,” she said.
Founded in 2014, Mac & Mia was among the early players to launch a kids apparel box service. Recently, the space has started to see increased competition from big players like Target, Gap and Old Navy. But Mac & Mia believes the space is big enough for multiple players, as the size of the U.S. children’s apparel market is nearing $70 billion.
