As of tonight, Matches will shut down for good. The British site, founded by Ruth and Tom Chapman, was omnipresent for over a decade. It was the place to find the most interesting emerging brands, both in the fashion and design space. I remember going to a dinner they threw and sitting next to two women who had just founded their label Chopova Lowena — the buyers just knew what would blow up before it ever did. And besides their ability to sniff out the next generation of cool, their end of season sales were equally as good. Where else could I find Junya and Simone aggressively marked down? Matches was my default I went when I felt like the designer assortment at Net-a-Porter skewed too mainstream, when I wanted a site that offered a weirder point of view. Sure, SSENSE is taking up that mantle nowadays and of course, the in-person experience at Dover Street Market is unparalleled but for so many years, this site was always the first one I’d hit up.
My sadness is due to the fact that online shopping is weird these days. I blame it on the Amazon-ification and Shein-ification of, well, everything. The goal, over the last five years, is to make those affiliate dollars wherever you can, mostly on stuff you barely like. Sites that can adapt to this new behavior, usually by cutting margins on their own product, are thriving. Prime Day is a great example of my discontent. Having spent years working on that content, there’s almost no real curation, just a push to hit those numbers. And it works — they made $14.2 billion in sales. Factor in that sweet 8-10% rate (give or take a few percent depending on whether it was beauty, fashion, or electronics), you’ll realize that adds up to 1.4 billion in pay-outs to their partners. It’s staggering and frankly unsustainable, not just in terms of actual sustainability (no one needs that much stuff!) but also in the never ending push to beat the prior year’s sales numbers.
The future of online shopping seems to be determined to head in that direction — curation based on sheer numbers and algorithms versus taste. And I guess it works, because the insane numbers don’t lie. I hate it — it’s not an experience, it’s shoving cheap, ugly things in your face for the sake of making a profit. I’m really going to miss Matches, from their marbled boxes to their in-house label Raey to their impeccably curated buy that offered options for a customer at any age. And I’m not alone! I asked some industry friends to share some memories, as a way to say goodbye to one of the best shopping sites. A few stories, below:
The Boxes Were the Best Part
When I asked for favorite Matches memories on my IG, every other reply was about one item in particular. “My favorite memory are the marble boxes that each purchase comes with. I collected all the different size and colors to use for storage,” says Andrea Ng, who works in fashion PR. The photo above is from her home, where they’re still in use today. Stylist Jamie Kay Waxman also noted that the boxes stuck in her mind, due to their instant recognizability. Made by Irving & Co along with artist Annie Muir, they were probably extremely expensive to use as shipping materials but it was a part of the appeal of shopping at Matches. It didn’t matter if you were buying an inexpensive t-shirt or a $10,000 coat, every purchase was beautifully packaged in one of these swirled containers. Technically you could choose a plain brown box but why would you? I’m so sad mine didn’t survive my back-to-back cross country moves — they are after all, just printed cardboard.
Big Milestones Were Celebrated Via the Sale Section
For Ana Colon, deputy editor at Fashionista, the site was where she found her wedding dress. “It was in early 2021, when it was really, really dark and many retailers were doing massive discounts. I had recently gotten engaged and knew I’d need something to wear eventually. And one of the last things I did before the world shut down was cover London Fashion Week for the first time. I went to a Richard Quinn show and was absolutely blown away. So when I saw this dress discounted at 80% off (and confirmed that the feathers were faux), I just… added to cart. I had to do major tailoring to it in order to have it fit when it finally came time to wear it over a year later, but it was perfect for City Hall.”
Jalil Johnson, who writes Considered Yourself Cultured, went to Matches when he wanted to elevate his wardrobe. “A lot of my big boy purchases were from there and by big boy purchase I mean one of the first few designer pieces that I bought new versus secondhand. I remember seeing these Miu Miu socks while I was interning at V Magazine, and I never thought I would ever own them. One day I was scrolling and I saw they were on sale and snagged them. I was commemorating the fact that I could buy a piece of the runway. They turned out to be incredibly impractical and overpriced, as they required dry cleaning after every wear. I eventually lost them, and now I can’t help but wonder if they’re still at my old dry cleaners.”
Where Else Could You Find Your Soon-to-Be Wardrobe Staples?
No one is more recognizable than writer Kristen Bateman. She has a great newsletter called Doll Dealbook that really encapsulates her unique sense of style. And like me, Matches was her place to shop smaller designers like Chopova Lowena. “I knew about the brand before discovering it on Matches, just from seeing their stuff on Instagram and I also wrote a story about the brand for Vogue back in 2019. Early Chopova was my favorite era because I feel like it was so much more extreme — giant sleeves, huge ballooning dresses, thick almost unwearable upholstery-like fabric. At the time there was really nothing else like it and not many people knew about it or were wearing it. I think Matches was one of the only, if not the only, place you could buy it in 2019.. They’re still some of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, in particular one hugely oversized green tartan dress with crazy silver hardware going down the front, and another checkered puff sleeve shirt with massive Victorian sleeves. Plus, it was on sale and I love sales. I buy almost everything on sale.”
“Where will I get my Shushu/Tong on sale?!” said fashion publicist Allison Hill before she texted over a link to Sarah McLachlan’s Angel with the caption, Me with Matches. Allison found the site while searching for retailers that carried the brand, and it became her go-to for Asian designers. “I love SSENSE but sometimes it’s super chaotic. You can buy the entire runway! Matches was a bit more curated. They were kinda old school thinking in their buys — there’s something for evening, a bit of casual wear, and one experimental piece.” The curation really informed her wardrobe. “I was a fiend, everything here is from Matches except for the shoes. Why must the good die young? RIP.”
I’m new to watching YouTube but one of my favorites is Alyssa Lenore. Her neutral palette and extensive travel are exactly the type of soothing content I crave — everything is perfectly curated but in a way that feels warm and inviting. And also, her dog Wade is so cute. Naturally Matches was a part of her life as well. “My very first purchase was a Saint Laurent backpack that I would then take to Japan. I also got some of my earliest Toteme and Khaite pieces there. Those are brands that have been staples in my wardrobe for years. I was in their London just last year and I loved the buy and curation! It’s so it’s sad to hear that they won’t be around anymore. It was always one of the sites I had on rotation when browsing for new pieces to refresh my wardrobe for the season.”
Raey Was Secretly The Best Basics
Besides all of their designer brands, their in-house label Raey had really really good basics. Designed to be just trendy enough to feel current, they were made with quality fabrics like double faced cashmere, wool, and heavy weight denim. It was everything you wished Aritzia was. “I haven’t worn jeans in maybe four years? It turns out I was just waiting for the era of skinny to be over and these were perfect. A clerk in a vintage store said to me obsessed with your jeans, perfect wash, weight and drape, which pretty much sums it up. I love how they’re designed, with the folded waistband and the perfect amount of slouch. They’ve been mistaken from everything from Junya to vintage,” says Kathleen Hou, beauty director at Elle.
Get It Before They’re Gone
Okay, so I guess we all shopped Matches when it was on super discount which probably accounts for why they’re no longer in business. But that being said, there are still a few hours left and despite what the internet says, I did get my purchases in their standard shipping window so here’s your last chance. A few deals that I LOVE (and this is genuine, because their affiliates do not exist at all.)
I’ve written about my love for Pleats Please bags before — they’re the ultimate IYKYK style without being exceedingly expensive. Plus, due to the nature of the fabric, they fit SO much without looking overly stuffed. I know everyone was obsessing over that Uniqlo crossbody as well as the Row and Lemaire versions. But I’m a fan of this option that has a similar shape. The signature plissé details make it special and the price point is great, especially on sale. Also, there’s a ton of other pieces marked down, so if you’re looking to add to your Pleats Please collection, this is a great chance to do so.
For those who want a non-black winter coat, this dark green wool design is such a good price, especially since it’s made from 100% wool. I know it’s hard to think about winter clothes when we’re experiencing heat wave after heat wave but I am a big fan of buying out of season clothes when they’re this cheap. I do think if you’re petite like me, you’d might want some tailoring but at under $400, it’s really hard to find a better outerwear deal.
I discovered Amarium last September during Milan Fashion Week, when the brand was hosting showroom appointments. They do some incredible elevated basics for fans of Khaite, Toteme, and The Row, with a price tag to match. That’s why these pants, marked down to $312, are so surprising to me. They’re still available over at Bergdorf for $1,010! The Matches photo doesn’t do it justice, so I’m using the image from the Amarium site. I love a slouchy cargo silhouette, especially if you dress it up with ballet flats or heels.
I literally don’t have any black tie events where this dress would be remotely realistic but I also don’t care because this is look 29 from the Fall 2023 runway. Collector’s item at 60% off!!!!!
But for those who want something realistic, albeit still avant-garde and cool, this sweater is also a good find. I love the weird hole at the back — it makes an otherwise ordinary knit anything but.
Bodysuits are a summer staple to me, they offer a clean line when tucked into skirts or trousers. This is such a good price for a well made one. Sizing is limited but if you happen to be a small or extra-large, it’s your lucky day.
The Simone Rocha section is pretty ravaged (and I’m among those who bought a few pieces) but this skirt is still left, with some sizing. The back detail really sold me on it — a modern day bustle detail!
And finally, one last coat from Raey that I almost added to cart while writing this newsletter except the medium/large is too overwhelming for me. But an oversized faux fur? Absolutely yes, it’s so dramatic and what more could you want in winter, when all anyone sees is your coat?
Hopefully you read this before the site shut down because there are still some gems to be found. If you have any memories that you want to share, leave them in the comments! Clothing is indicative of a time and place in our lives, and Matches is truly the best reflection of my time working in fashion in so many ways, so I want to hear yours.
Also, a note for readers: I’ll be turning on my paywall this week, after being unsure if I should. Working on these newsletters have been an absolute joy but they also take a lot of time, especially when it comes to the research-intensive ones. I’ll be pay-walling certain content going forward.
In the meantime, see you next week when I finally have part 2 with J.J. on jewelry, along with a few other faces chiming in!
The boxes 🫡