Pistola’s Grace Na on winning customers with an ‘opening premium price point’

“At the time, a lot of the premium labels were owned and run by men, and the premium price point was really expensive,” Na said on the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast. “There was a miss for an opening-premium-price-point denim line that was still super high quality, and that had amazing fits and of-the-moment style.”

In getting the brand off the ground, it helped that she had great experience in the fashion industry as a buyer and a planner. She also had support from her husband’s family, which had spent 30 years running a denim business.

Pistola started as a wholesale-only business, eventually selling through 1,000 retail doors. It also ran a private-label business on the side. But today, it’s focused on ramping up its direct sales, among other growth opportunities. For example, soon, it will launch a mommy-and-me capsule collection. And within the next few years, it will embark on international expansion.

Pisola is privately owned and has been profitable since year one, Na said.

Below are additional highlights from the conversation, which have been lightly edited for clarity.  

Transitioning from 100% wholesale

“We launched with wholesale first; we started as a wholesale business, and most of our customers found us through some of our incredible retail partners, like Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Shopbop and Revolve. And we have a really healthy business with specialty stores throughout the entire country and the rest of the world. We’re in a little under 1,000 stores. … And then, later on, with the need and desire to express ourselves and show our brand identity, that’s when we decided to launch direct-to-consumer [sales]. And that’s been the biggest focus of ours, [because it allows us] to tell our story, to show our assortment the way we want to show it and to show up to the customer and be able to service her directly. . … We don’t have [our own] stores yet, but [opening stores] is definitely something on our minds because we know that denim is easier [to shop] when you can try on a couple of different fits and different sizes. We’re always trying to find different ways to service and connect with our customers. That’s top of mind for us.”

Growth during the pandemic

“I think when people were stuck at home, they wanted jeans. They wanted to feel a little bit more dressed up, get out of their sweats and get out of their yoga pants. And I think Pistola really resonated with them, in that, not only did we offer some great basic-fitting denim, but it was also done with a little bit of a fashion twist — with an amazing wash or a [unique] sewing detail. So that’s when our true burst in sales happened. People really wanted to look and feel more pulled together — not like they were just waking up or getting out of bed. And so, our jumpsuits and our denim pieces were doing really well at that time. I would say that, from 2020 to 2021, we grew almost 2.5 times.”

Investing in marketing after 10 years

“In terms of marketing, we haven’t made huge investments because, in all honesty, we didn’t have to for the past 10 years. … That’s the power of a good product. We’ve been operating under the belief that product is king. So, whether it’s through fit, fabric, wash or style, we’ve been heads down and focused on always delivering a compelling assortment in our product line. And our customers have been very loyal, and there’s been a lot of growth through word of mouth. … But now, 10 years in, we’re focused on sharing our story. Our assortment looks better than ever, and so we’re excited to push the gas pedal on marketing and get it out there. We hired a new marketing brand director, and we found that customers really resonate with me and even my likes, my wants and the whys of why I created certain pieces. So I plan to show up more on our social channels. … We want to be more of the style and denim authority in their lives and to share more of our perspective. And our customers are loving that connection.”