Pattern Brands raises $14MM to drive more enjoyment in daily life
Before college kids even graduate and earn their first paychecks, chances are they’ve experienced burnout. The proliferation of an achiever mindset and our growing technology addiction has made us all more exhausted, stressed, and anxious — and this isn’t just in NYC.
After an immensely successful decade at their branding + digital agency Gin Lane, founders Nick Ling and Emmett Shine are closing the business to build the next portfolio of 21st-century consumer brands.
In a landscape with no shortage of D2C companies, Nick and Emmett’s commitment to helping people enjoy daily life through Pattern Brands still manages to truly stand out. This isn’t a surprise. In retail, there’s a notion of merchant- or designer-led businesses. Creative geniuses like Emmett are at the helm of designer-led businesses, which think transformatively, using creativity to inspire and set trends that merchant-led businesses (most often run by less creative and more business-minded first operators) look to follow. Nick and Emmett are an incredibly complementary pair, with Emmett as an artist, and Nick as someone who’s super thoughtful, strategically minded, and able to bring everything together holistically.
Alongside their standout team, Nick and Emmett are reimagining the D2C space with a “DWC,” or Direct with Consumer model. Beyond selling products, to counteract the common detached state of chronic burnout, Pattern seeks to make a real connection with its customers and empower them to take back control of their time, attention, and energy and shift it toward what brings them more fulfillment. By investing in deepening customer relationships and acknowledging the identity of their customers, Pattern Brands will have the opportunity to serve their audience with the best experience possible across many aspects of life. Based on customer research, products alone aren’t enough to transform habits, so they’re going above and beyond to extend ongoing guidance and support resources.
We’ve been so impressed by their engaging, thoughtful, customer-oriented approach, and strongly believe in the team’s ability to bring back our enjoyment of everyday moments.
Beyond what we’ve shared so far, here’s what you should know about Pattern Brands…
At its core: A multi-brand consumer goods company owned and operated under one roof, with each of its brands united in one mission.
Its mission: Help our generation find more enjoyment in daily life.
How: A family of purposeful brands with products and guidance that inspire you to learn, explore, and lay the foundation for a more present life. Each brand provides the essentials to make, shape, and grow a home. The first, Equal Parts, will reimagine cookware to help people find a sense of comfort and intuition in the kitchen.
Why now: Today’s culture of addiction to work, productivity, and technology have left many in a state of burnout. With anxiety, exhaustion, and perfectionism bubbling to the surface of society’s collective consciousness, Pattern Brands is looking to revive the simple pleasure of doing something (or nothing) for the joy of it, rather than the end result of improving oneself.
The “it” factor: For over a decade the Gin Lane team has worked with 50 startups such as Sweetgreen, Hims, Harry’s, and Recess to create over $15 billion worth of brands, giving them a rare vantage point into what works in today’s market.
As part of its official public launch, we’re thrilled to welcome Pattern Brands to the Primary family. We could not be more excited for its promising future, and invite you to read more about the company via the Pattern website and today’s Fast Company article.
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