SSENSE

SSENSE is an online retailer of luxury clothing and accessories that lists over 400 brands on its e-commerce site. In addition to selling products from established names like Prada, Gucci and Dior, SSENSE is known for championing streetwear, emerging designers and avant-garde labels.

The company’s inventiveness is reflected in the content published on the SSENSE Website: feature articles in the style of an alternative culture magazine.

This approach specifically targets Millennials, who make up the majority of its clientele.

SSENSE also focusses on the customer experience. In 2018, the company opened a flagship store on Montreal’s St. Sulpice Street to revolutionize the world of retail.

The space is designed to be a hub for social, event-driven and artistic activities, and does not actually display any clothing.

Clients wishing to try items must create an online shopping cart and schedule an appointment. Within 24 hours, a sophisticated management system ensures their order has left the warehouse and is waiting for them in a fitting room on-site. SSENSE is also a member of the AI-Powered Supply Chains Supercluster (SCALE.AI), an initiative sponsored by the Government of Canada.

SSENSE was founded in 2003 by Syrian-born brothers Firas, Bassel and Rami Atallah. Although the company’s head office is in Montreal on Chabanel Street, less than 20% of its sales originate in Canada. As of 2018, SSENSE ships its products to customers in 136 countries.

In 2017, Rami Atallah, chief executive officer of SSENSE, was named to the BoF 500, an annual list of the people shaping the global fashion industry, selected by the editors of The Business of Fashion Website.