Susan Gregg Koger, always a fan of thrift shopping and a connoisseur of funky, vintage outfits and accessories, often bought outfits that were both her size and weren’t her size because she was always inspired to create new and cool ensembles from her discoveries. She was inspired by her now-husband Eric to begin selling some of her discoveries online to make extra cash during their college days, and in 2002, ModCloth was launched. Originally operating out of her dorm room, ModCloth now has over 90 employees and over 250 contributing designers.
Read on for five reasons we love Susan Gregg Koger.
1. She combines business with pleasure
When someone does what they love, they’re sure to yield the best results, and that is completely apparent when it comes to Koger and her relationship to ModCloth. Koger always loved vintage shopping, and after turning her hobby into a business in 2002 with Eric Koger, it transformed from a dorm room money-maker to a successful online business. In an interview with refinery29.com, Susan Gregg Koger said, “Both of us were attending Carnegie Mellon University at the time, and once we discovered the power of social commerce as a super powerful way to completely change the way fashion is consumed, the business grew... [today it is] a shopping site where customers get to decide what we sell.”
2. Koger and ModCloth alike maintain unique flair and authenticity
Koger is knowledgeable when it comes to discovering quirky and cute vintage ensembles, and it’s her authenticity (along with the authentic nature of her business) that really strikes a chord with College Gloss. Koger has said, “We’re not some big retailer telling you, ‘This is what you should be wearing.’” In an article with inc.com, Koger expressed the importance of ModCloth staying true to its customers: “ModCloth sets itself apart from other online clothing retailers through its authenticity.” Also, Koger and her employees understand that they need to work in the company’s target demographic -- women in their 20s -- and to stay true to what their customers like the most to remain a success.
3. Koger puts her customers on a pedestal
Susan Gregg Koger appreciates her ModCloth customers and always wants to work to service their wants and needs. Koger has said, “We really want the customers to be truly involved,” and ModCloth does exactly that. ModCloth features programs like “Be the Buyer” and “Make the Cut” that were developed specifically for its customers. “Be the Buyer” allows customers to vote on items that they would like to see carried by ModCloth, and “Make the Cut” is a contest in which customers and designers alike can submit their designs and have an opportunity to have them produced by ModCloth. Koger said, “Our customers have a voice in everything we do, right down to the naming, sourcing and designing of our wares.”
4. Koger mixes the old with the new
With a fresh, refined personal style, Kroger can be described as funky, quirky and sophisticated. She mixes vintage with some of the latest trends. In an interview with refinery29.com, Koger said, “I love getting dressed every day. I really believe personal style is a big part of your identity -- it shows the world who you are and who you want to be. I love color. I love vintage, and I love wearing ModCloth... I like to wear clothes that make me happy, and it’s always fun to share that joy with other people that I interact with.” Koger also has a huge style crush on No Doubt frontrunner and musician, Gwen Stefani. “She’s changed so much but always looks like Gwen -- and I really respect that.”
5. She’s always thinking outside of the box
Koger and her husband have always worked to keep their business fresh, interesting and meaningful to their first time shoppers and repeat customers. Besides selling one-of-a-kind pieces found by Koger herself, she realized that in order for ModCloth to both grow as a business while maintaining the integrity of the fashion that was showcased, something had to be done. Today, ModCloth offers retro-chic and fashion-forward ensembles from independent designers. Also, all items that are sold on ModCloth are described with colorful copy writing, offering suggestions of when to wear a piece and more in addition to the basics: color, size and availability.
Susan Gregg Koger is creative, intelligent and her approach to running her ModCloth business with husband Eric is an inspiration to College Gloss. Koger pays attention to her customer’s likes and dislikes, which has allowed ModCloth to become a forum of combining personal style while developing it into something new and exciting. ModCloth also offers fashionable pieces from many different designers, and in order to keep with the high demand of ModCloth fashions, 60 positions have been added in recent years, including stylists, bloggers and web developers. Koger flawlessly maintains the relationship between rocking vintage fashion, strong customer service skills and operating the creative layouts of her business -- be sure to check out ModCloth to become inspired like CG!
By: Mallory Feeney | Images: 1, 2
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