ModCloth
Rated: Fair
Price: $$
Location: USA
Quick verdict
ModCloth is a vintage-inspired women's fashion retailer with one of the most turbulent ownership histories in indie fashion. Four owners since 2017 (Walmart, Go Global Retail, Nogin, and now Bicoastal Alliance/B. Riley). The brand has zero transparency on environmental and labour practices. Customer service has effectively collapsed, with Trustpilot at 1.5/5 and the BBB noting failure to respond to 10+ complaints. Not recommended.
Key info
- Headquarters
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Founded
- 2002
- Product categories
- Womenswear, Vintage
- Price range
- $$
- Key certifications
- No certifications of any kind. No B Corp, Fair Trade, GOTS, OEKO-TEX, or any environmental certification.
ModCloth sustainability rating
Our ratings are based on a scale from 1 (We Avoid) to 5 (Excellent). How we rate
Rating breakdown
No evidence of any lower-impact materials. No sustainable material claims or targets. No certifications.
No published information about labour policies. Manufacturing primarily in China with no supplier transparency. No Code of Conduct, no audit results, no living wage commitment.
No evidence of action on hazardous chemicals, microplastics, or climate impacts. No sustainability targets or reporting of any kind.
No circularity initiatives. Deceptive return policy ($6.95 per item, not per shipment) actively discourages returns, potentially increasing waste.
Total lack of supply chain transparency. Four ownership changes since 2017. Nogin (most recent corporate parent) filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2023. BBB notes failure to respond to complaints.
What they do well
- Body-positive heritage: Early brand values championed body positivity, inclusive sizing, and feminist messaging that resonated with a loyal indie fashion audience.
- Vintage-inspired aesthetic: The retro, indie-inspired design identity remains distinctive in a market dominated by minimalist and fast-fashion aesthetics.
- Good Animals rating: ModCloth does not appear to use leather, down, fur, angora, or exotic animal skins.
- Historical cultural significance: At its peak ($150M revenue by 2014), ModCloth proved there was a major market for vintage-inspired, size-inclusive women's fashion.
Room for improvement
- Zero sustainability transparency: No evidence of action on environmental or labour practices. No certifications, no sustainability targets, no material or supply chain data published.
About ModCloth
ModCloth was founded in 2002 by Susan Gregg Koger and Eric Koger, who met as students at Carnegie Mellon University. The brand built a loyal following for vintage-inspired, body-positive women's fashion, reaching approximately $150 million in revenue by 2014. The original proposition. Fun, retro-styled clothing with feminist values and inclusive sizing. Resonated deeply with indie fashion consumers.
The ownership saga that followed is one of fashion's most cautionary tales. Walmart acquired ModCloth in March 2017, alienating the core indie customer base and withdrawing from European markets. Walmart sold to Go Global Retail in October 2019. Nogin, an e-commerce technology company, acquired it in May 2021. Nogin filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2023. B. Riley Financial acquired Nogin in March 2024, and by early 2025 Nogin Commerce LLC faced involuntary Chapter 7 proceedings. ModCloth now operates under Bicoastal Alliance LLC in diminished capacity.
The sustainability profile is the worst of any brand in this batch. The brand shows no evidence of action on any environmental or labour issues and has a total lack of supply chain transparency. Manufacturing is primarily in China with no supplier disclosure. The only positive note is Animals 4/5, as the brand does not appear to use leather, fur, or exotic animal materials.
Consumer experience has effectively collapsed. Trustpilot shows approximately 1.5 out of 5, with severe complaints about unreachable customer service, declining quality (chemical smells, poor fabrics), deceptive return policies ($6.95 per item rather than per shipment), slow shipping, wrong items sent, and forced store credit instead of refunds. The BBB notes failure to respond to complaints. Despite early brand values around body positivity, assessors note the brand 'is not accounting for its supply chain at all.'
Product highlights
Fit & Flare Dress
Vintage-inspired fit-and-flare silhouette in various prints and colours; the brand's signature dress style
~$69–$120
The dress style that defined ModCloth's identity. Retro silhouettes with quirky prints that built the brand's cult following
Shirt Dress Collection
Button-front shirt dresses in seasonal prints; vintage-inspired styling with modern sizing
~$79–$130
Versatile everyday piece representing the brand's workwear-to-weekend positioning
Plus Size Collection
Extended-size versions of core styles; historically one of the first mid-market retailers to offer size-inclusive vintage-inspired fashion
~$60–$150
A key part of ModCloth's original body-positive mission. Size inclusivity before it became an industry standard
Seasonal Print Skirts
A-line and pleated skirts in seasonal novelty prints; a core ModCloth category
~$55–$85
Novelty prints (cats, food, literary references) became synonymous with the ModCloth aesthetic and indie fashion identity
