San Clemente residents Kian and Mia Schank never expected their brand of outerwear, Dandy Worldwide, to reach the heights it has in less than three years since the company’s founding.
Through the release of multiple collections, starting with “Let’s Watch the Sunset” in October 2021, Dandy Worldwide has amassed a fervent following and a strong social media presence, as the brand recently surpassed 100,000 Instagram followers near the beginning of this past April.
The company has extended much further than what the siblings initially thought would be a passion project during Mia’s junior year of high school, an idea the two discussed and Mia wanted to make a reality long before it came to fruition.
“Finally, I was like, ‘Mia, it’s a good time right now,’ ” said Kian, now 26. “ ‘You’re going to be applying to school soon, and if (nothing) comes from it, at least have it be a reason to help you get in.’ ”
Kian, who was then in his senior year as a business management major at Brigham Young University in Utah, combined what he knew about the business world with Mia’s fit within the consumer demographic they wanted to pursue and a mutual love for the outdoors. The result was the creation of a brand of hooded sweatshirts, crewnecks and knit sweaters that have themes of enjoying the beach and the mountains, as well as love, love languages and more.
Dandy Worldwide’s prominent colors include pastels and earth tones often layered on overside, embroidered sweatshirts.
The two focused on designing products that elicit emotions, especially in a market that can be saturated with clothes that don’t evoke significant meaning.
“It’s been awesome,” said Kian. “I think we both complement each other, just because we are at different stages of life, and again, I only know so much about what a teenage girl wants to wear.”
Starting their company on the back end of the pandemic, with the trend of online shopping increasing in popularity, made for a “low stakes” approach in the beginning, according to Kian. They saw a low barrier to entry and the ability to operate at a small scale, not investing large amounts of money into the business.
It also helped that the two weren’t hoping to make enough money to survive, Kian added.
Those factors contributed to an environment in which the siblings creatively thrived, and after finding significant success with Dandy Worldwide’s first releases, they were able to reinvest in their business and gradually grow over time.
Mia recalled the emotions she felt as sales started to pick up.
“It was a really weird feeling, because it wasn’t supposed to be something, and then it became something,” she said. “I remember the phone call that Kian and I had, and I was like, ‘Holy crap, this is so crazy.’ It didn’t even feel real.”
The success helped temper the discomfort and vulnerability she felt in the early stages, as she sought to market the brand on social media a short time after she and her family had moved to San Clemente. She received multiple rude remarks and teasing during the process.
Now, Dandy Worldwide has grown and carries 40 products, adding a new design every month or so since late 2021.
That growth has also occurred with the help of a few lessons learned and serious investment time-wise from both Kian and Mia. The topic of inventory management presented an early introduction to the business aspect of Dandy Worldwide.
After restocking their first-ever batch of hoodies, they sold out again by Christmas time, and the two dealt with the disappointment of having an ever-growing brand with nothing to sell.
Those conversations have continued, with Kian and Mia discussing how much to order, especially considering the large and thick nature of their products and how expensive they can be to produce. Sometimes, they order too many, and sometimes they order too few.
To be sure, the size of the product isn’t the issue. With the phrase “Your New Favorite Hoodie” ingrained in their vocabulary, there’s an emphasis on high-quality, long-lasting products that are sourced sustainably, especially in the era of online shopping.
Dandy Worldwide currently works with two manufacturers, one overseas and another in the United States, and Kian and Mia are still seeking to determine the better long-term fit.
“We’re not trying to get our products made where we’re rubbing shoulders with these unethically made, (fast fashion) brands,” said Kian. “We’ve actually been able to visit, and we’re able to stand by the quality and the small business side of things.”
Though their approach results in a higher price when compared to the average hoodie, the two take pride in the products their customers receive.
Kian’s favorite product is the “Interiors” hoodie from the collection of imagined businesses, which also includes a diner and an ice cream truck. Mia’s is “The Love Collection” overall.
When Dandy Worldwide surpassed 100,000 followers on Instagram a couple months ago, the siblings celebrated marking an achievement unlike the typical month-by-month goal or a smaller number of followers, such as 30,000
“For us, it was just a culmination of all the stress that we’ve experienced, all the hard work that we’ve experienced,” said Kian. “It was just awesome to see it all come together and have an actual milestone like that.”
More recently, he and Mia have been working toward a summer collection and transitioning to thinner, more breathable fabrics while still maintaining the theme of being a “hoodie company.”
The company’s Instagram account announced their “Let’s Go On a Drive” collection, with blue, gray, green and pink colorways on June 12. The hoodies are set to hit the website soon.
More information about Dandy Worldwide and its products is available at dandyworldwide.com.
