
As tech journalist Alex Kantrowitz of Marker pointed out, DTC is a solid model when costs are kept low. Cosmetics brands that used the model to scale fast and reach cult status include The Ordinary, Charlotte Tilbury, and Fenty Beauty — along with male grooming subscription hero, Dollar Shave Club.
They sold (and still sell) products directly to consumers via the internet, leveraging social media and ecommerce platforms to cut out the need for established outlets. Which initially meant they had minimal overheads, no middlemen restricting or dictating operations and distribution, and nothing standing in between them and their customer relationships. In February 2021, three years post…