Kostüme teams up with BigCommerce to enhance e-commerce

British cycling lifestyle brand Kostüme has teamed up with open SaaS e-commerce platform, BigCommerce to make its website more agile and adaptable.

Kostüme was founded in 2020 to disrupt the status quo in an industry that disproportionately focuses on hardcore technical racewear and offers limited-edition premium cycling apparel made with recycled fabrics and exclusive artist designs.

The new website has been designed to enable Kostüme to transform its online storefronts to showcase its exclusive, small-batch seasonal apparel created with exclusive artist collaborations in line with its limited-edition, pre-order model.

Selling on a made-to-order basis effectively means zero inventory and required a custom back-end solution. Kostüme partnered with digital solutions agency Like Digital & Partners to build a robust yet agile e-commerce website that could rapidly scale to showcase each new collection and allow room for the brand to be creative. While the scalability and ecosystem of BigCommerce’s partner apps support Kostüme’s long-term business trajectory.

Kostüme founder and chief executive Ed Bartlett said in a statement: “By developing uniquely stylish, durable and highly functional products, our aim is to help a diverse new generation of cyclists to express themselves however they choose to ride.

“Achieving this ambition would not be possible without BigCommerce. Development often requires choosing between a cookie-cutter solution, or a large, expensive team. BigCommerce offers the best of both worlds, with the flexibility to create a truly bespoke experience without needing a large development team, and the scalability to support our growth. You can only build a brand once, and BigCommerce ensured that this vision was possible from day one.”

Each new collection from Kostüme is available in a small edit, with just 350 pieces of each item, and all feature unique artwork commissioned from world-class artists. Its first release, #Edit001, recently launched for pre-order as a 7-piece collection for men and women, featuring a collaboration with multi-award-winning UK op art duo Kai and Sunny that has all been developed in the UK and manufactured responsibly in Europe.

The launch comes at a time of growth for cycling, as the cycling apparel industry is projected to be worth 5.7 billion US dollars by 2025.

Jim Herbert, senior vice president and general manager of EMEA at BigCommerce, added: “Kostüme is an innovative British brand with a unique model that is changing the cycling apparel industry, something in which we’re extremely proud to play a part. BigCommerce helps companies achieve their vision for and at all stages of growth, offering the flexibility needed to create powerful and custom online storefronts.

“As a patron of the British Fashion Council, BigCommerce is passionate about the potential of ecommerce to drive the UK fashion industry forward and to help UK fashion retailers leverage the power of our Open SaaS solution to drive efficiency, agility and sales.”