Raising seed funding is not for the faint of heart - as any founder can attest. In the past 24 months, I’ve met with over 200 investors and had nearly a thousand follow-up calls and meetings, which were made all the more complicated because of the pandemic. With all that hustle behind me, I’m pleased to announce that Autumn Adeigbo has raised $1.3M in seed funding, making us the first eponymous fashion brand led by a female, black designer to raise more than $1M in venture capital funding.
It is so incredible to have a team of investors who believe deeply in what we are building. This incredible group is providing the fuel we need to grow the brand into what we aspire to be. Fuel Capital led the round, with participation from Katrina Lake (founder of Stitch Fix), Sonja Perkins (founder of Silicon Valley's largest women's angel investor group, Broadway Angels), the Pipeline Angels, and my very first angel investor, Christopher Elliott.
I was inspired to become a fashion designer after watching my Nigerian mother sew the clothes I wore as a little girl - even earning the superlative “Best Dressed” of my 4th grade class. Today, the Autumn Adeigbo brand is connecting women across cultures through colorful and ethical fashion. Our products bring joy to the lives of every person who touches them - from the makers who pour in their artistic creation to the garment, to the end wearers who brighten the day of those who see her on the street.
Inspired by my culture and heritage, I’m focused on designing colorful and conversational contemporary women's wear, artistically crafted with culture, color, and conscience. Our brand has been gaining momentum and support from leaders in the fashion industry, including Tory Burch. I’m a 2019-2020 Tory Burch fellow and was a featured company in Tory’s annually curated seed box. Jennifer Hyman, founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, scouted the brand personally after she saw one of our jackets worn by Brit Morin of Brit & Co, who is one of our advisors.
“We are so excited to support Autumn as she brings her unique, bold and beautiful designs to the world. We believe that Autumn will build something truly special. Her unique yet universally-loved designs will make a meaningful impact in the lives of every person who touches them - from the makers whose lives and careers are touched by the work to the women who wear them with confidence and joy,” said Leah Solivan, General Partner at Fuel Capital.
If you are interested in joining our team, please email us at contact@autumnadeigbo.com. We are hiring across a number of positions in production, digital growth, public relations, and operations. We’d love to hear from you.
