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Andy Dunn

Co-Founder & Chief Executive, Bonobos

The Stanford alumnus helped to define and prove a new model for vertically integrated fashion retail in the age of e-commerce.

Biography

Andy Dunn is the co-founder and chief executive of Bonobos. Dunn told BoF he developed Bonobos with the intention of proving “that the world had changed, that you could now build a brand online. We were going to prove that the Internet was going to become the core medium for story-telling, for delivering great service, and for transacting goods.”

Dunn and his co-founder Brian Spaly, who is no longer part of the business, began by selling washed chinos from the boots of their cars at Stanford University in 2007. Following angel funding from 50 different investors totalling $8 million, Bonobos developed as an innovative men's e-tailer that created new fit methodologies and opened "guide stores," which carried products for browsing but did not sell any inventory. In the process, the company’s revenues doubled for four years in a row.

In founding and developing Bonobos, Dunn helped define and prove a new model for vertically integrated fashion retail in the e-commerce era. He has now succeeded in scaling the business, transforming an online-only venture selling a single product into a high-potential brand with estimated revenues of over $40 million in 2012.

But Dunn's ambitions for Bonobos don't end there. “In the premium menswear space, there are only a handful of companies who have gotten over $1 billion. The list is small. I think we have a chance to be that brand for the digital era. I see a path to half a billion of revenue in the US and half a billion globally. I don’t think we’ll be there in five years, but we’ll be on our way.”

In May 2015, Dunn briefly stepped down to become executive chairman, handing the reigns of chief executive to Francine Della Badia, the former president of North American retail at Coach. However, after only three months, Della Badia exited, citing a mismatch of cultures, and Dunn resumed his position as chief executive.

Walmart acquired Bonobos in 2017 for $310 million, keeping Dunn on as senior vice president of digital consumer brands. In September 2018, Bonobos Chief Marketing Officer Micky Onvural was Dunn's successor as chief executive of the menswear brand. 

In 2019, Dunn stepped down from his role at Walmart.

Career

Bonobos

Bonobos

Co-Founder & Chief Executive

2007 - Present

United States

Wind Point Partners

Wind Point Partners

2003 - 2005

Bain & Company

Bain & Company

2000 - 2003

Education

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Stanford Graduate School of Business

Northwestern University

Northwestern University

Vital Statistics

Born
20 February 1979
Nationality

United States

Location
United States
Member since
2013

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What is The BoF 500?

The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.