Please welcome Studs, a new piercing brand enabling self-expression through adornment
Meet Studs, the latest addition to Lerer Hippeau’s portfolio.
HQ: New York
Cofounders: Anna Harman and Lisa Bubbers
The problem: More than ever, young people are choosing to express themselves with tattoos and piercings, and most don’t stop at one. Twenty-nine percent of people ages 18 to 29 have one piercing, 37% of the same age group have up to three, and 21% have between four and five. Most make a trip to a tattoo parlor that offers piercing, opt for a store in the mall, or visit a doctor’s office. But between dangerous piercing guns, an intimidating or uninspiring ambiance, and a selection that’s usually overpriced and limited, none of those options offers the kind of safe, modern, and fun experience that customers, especially those in Gen Z, look for today.
Studs’s solution: Through healthy needle piercing, on-trend and affordable jewelry, and an omnichannel retail strategy that meets customers where they live, Studs is a piercing experience tailor-made for a new generation. Walking into Studs’s colorful brick-and-mortar store in New York’s Nolita neighborhood or heading to Studs.com, visitors find a judgment-free space that prioritizes inclusion, personalization, and community. Customers select jewelry that fits their style (be it hoops, huggies, initials, or star signs) and design their “earscape” for a piercing and shopping experience that’s repeatable, fun for groups, and shareable on social media.
Origin story: Early last year, Anna Harman went to a tattoo parlor to get a new piercing. Finding the setting, selection, and experience underwhelming, she dove into research to get a full picture of options available to today’s consumers. She teamed up with Lisa Bubbers to launch Studs in spring 2019 to address the gap in the market for a piercing experience designed with today’s consumers in mind. Lisa and Anna bring to Studs extensive operational and functional expertise built from years in marketing, research, and operations roles at companies like Homepolish, Walmart’s Store №8, and Bridgewater Associates.
Why we’re betting on it: For many, getting your ears pierced is a rite of passage — and before Studs, it was anything but fun. It could be scary, disappointing and, at best, anticlimactic. Shopping for jewelry during this coming-of-age experience can leave much to be desired. Anna and Lisa are going after a massive, underserved market through brilliant creative direction and deep operational focus. They are not only delivering on a worthy customer promise to celebrate and inspire self-expression, but they are also doing so with an eye (or ear) to strong business fundamentals both on and offline. With this powerful combination, the Studs founding team is poised to build a compelling and lasting brand in self-expression and adornment for the next generation.
Our take: Studs encompasses many of the things we look for in next-generation brands: a differentiated and fresh voice, a clear, values-based vision, a clever approach to an existing market and, most importantly, a brand that resonates with the consumer beyond just a singular product or service. Simply put, Studs embodies our view of next-generation retail — one that caters to emerging consumers in Gen Z and meets their high expectations and preferences.
Further reading: “Piercing Shop Studs Targets Gen Z With a Vivacious and Welcoming Environment” via Adweek
Learn about careers at Studs.
