How Kitsch grew 15x on Faire by listening closely to customers and staying scrappy

Kitsch started in a tiny flat in LA, with handmade, hand-packed hair ties, handwritten orders and a one-paragraph business plan. Cassandra Morales Thurswell was 25. She had no outside funding, but she did have a vision to make beauty feel better. More joyful. More thoughtful. More sustainable.

The early days were scrappy. Cold calls from her kitchen table. Door-to-door sales with handmade samples. But from the start, Kitsch stood for the idea that everyday beauty products shouldn’t feel like an afterthought. That you could create items people reached for daily, and make them better. Better-designed, better for the planet, and accessible to all.

Fifteen years later, Kitsch is everywhere, from Ulta and Target to Sephora Asia and Selfridges, in 95 countries and over 32,000 shops. But the brand’s core hasn’t changed. “We design with loyalty in mind,” says founder and CEO Cassandra. “We listen closely to our community. We want to be there for the small moments, the reset in your day, the little things that help you feel like yourself again.”

Sustainability is central to that mission. From plastic-free razors to bar shampoos to FSC-certified packaging, every product launch is rooted in progress. “Our goal isn’t perfection, it’s improvement,” Cassandra says. “We know the beauty industry creates waste. So we create alternatives.”

Kitsch joined Faire in 2019, and the brand has grown 15x on the platform since then.

“Independent retailers were the first to believe in us.”

Before they were a global brand, boutique owners took a chance on Kitsch. Cassandra still remembers them by name. “That kind of support is priceless,” she says. “Independent retailers give us insight, feedback and reach that ideally complements our big-box business. They’re part of our DNA.”

Faire became a natural extension of that connection.

“Faire has democratised access to wholesale in a way that deeply aligns with our values,” Cassandra says. “It empowers us to support independent retailers while scaling globally. It’s win-win-win: for us, for them and for the customers we all serve.”

Cassandra notes that Kitsch resonates across age groups – from teenagers to grandmas – because the products are intentional, well-designed, and easy to fit into real life. “On Faire, we hear again and again how Kitsch helps small retailers delight their customers. They tell us our products fly off shelves, that our packaging feels premium, and that shoppers come back specifically asking for Kitsch by name,” she says. “We design with that loyalty in mind.”

Using Faire’s tools to scale (without a huge lift)  

Kitsch’s Faire team is lean – just two people – but highly effective. “Faire’s technology is so strong, you don’t need a big team,” says COO Jeremy Thurswell. “Faire removes much of the complexity that’s required to collect payments and accounting. We use the CRM, Faire Direct, product messaging, even catalogue tagging. The Shopify integration makes things seamless.”

Its catalogue is deep but manageable. The Kitsch team keeps product descriptions clear and consistent with its e-commerce site. “We’re always refining based on customer feedback,” says Nicole Eaton, who helps lead wholesale operations. “If someone asks a question more than once, we add the answer right into the listing.”

Faire has also made it possible for the team to scale without sacrificing flexibility. “Faire takes a lot of that headache out of it,” Jeremy says. “Especially in our business, which is over 80% women, many of them working mums. Being able to stay home, raise a child and still grow wholesale sales is a huge opportunity Faire makes possible.”

Driving growth with Faire Direct

Kitsch doesn’t just wait for retailers to find them. It actively drives traffic to its Faire shopfront using Faire Direct. 

“We actually prefer Faire Direct,” says Nicole. “If someone gets in touch about wholesale, our first step is to send them our Faire Direct link. Payment, shipping, returns: It’s all streamlined. That means less time on admin and more time focusing on service.”

The team includes Faire Direct links in seasonal print catalogues – including for occasions like Mother’s Day and events like back to school – using QR codes that send retailers straight to their shopfront. They also promote the link on their website as the primary way to order wholesale.

Retailers are occasionally worried about out-of-stocks or pricing differences, but Kitsch is ready. “We tell them: The catalogue is updated daily, pricing and minimums are exactly the same, and shipping is consistent,” says Nicole. “Once they hear that, most switch over without hesitation.”

It’s a strong offer: £100 off your first order, free shipping, and payment terms, Nicole explained. “For a smaller shop trying Kitsch for the first time, that’s a big incentive,” she says. “And with free returns, there’s really no reason to say no.” For leads that don’t convert straight away, the team still uploads their info through Faire to capture future interest. “Even if we don’t hear back straight away, they’re in the system. If they return in three months, we’re there.”

Fast answers, fewer headaches 

Kitsch uses Faire to make the ordering process seamless for both the team and their retail customers. “Taking out the middle person made a huge difference,” says Nicole. “Before, a customer might ask a question, it would go to a rep, then back to us, then back to the customer. That back and forth could take 24 to 48 hours.” 

Now, retailers get answers fast. “With Faire, it’s basically like shopping online. They can check out straight away, message us directly, and get clear pricing, minimums and product details without delay,” she says. 

And because the system is so streamlined, it also shortens their lead times. “We can update inventory in real time, and our warehouse doesn’t have to stop and troubleshoot missing items. That’s already handled,” says Nicole. “Every part of Faire makes the experience smoother.”

Keeping retailers happy with fast support

Kitsch is relentless about high-quality service. “We aim to respond to every message within one business day, even on weekends,” Nicole says. Faire’s portal makes that easy, offering a paper trail for every interaction. “Faire’s portal is simple, centralised, and gives us real visibility. There’s no confusion.”

And it all comes back to the customer. “Every decision we make is to make things easier for them,” Jeremy says. “The ability to order whenever, get credit terms without jumping through hoops, edit their order with a few clicks… that’s the Faire advantage.”

Growing responsibly and staying true to their values

Sustainability isn’t a sideline at Kitsch; it’s embedded in every decision. From FSC-certified packaging to its Everything Shower collection made with recycled materials, the brand is constantly pushing for progress.

“We believe you can have style, function and sustainability at the same time,” says Cassandra. That mindset runs through everything they do, from product development to how they support their retail partners. “Faire’s unique features aren’t just good for brands, they’re good for customers,” says Jeremy. “It’s a better way to shop and a better way to grow.”

Kitsch’s growth isn’t about moving fast and breaking things. It’s about doing things differently, staying consistent and using the right tools to build lasting relationships, both with customers and with the independent retailers who helped them get here.

For brands looking to follow a similar path, Cassandra says, “don’t wait for it to be perfect. Success is a feeling, not something you achieve. Start with what you have, stay close to your customers and build the discipline to show up every day. Progress can be messy – and that’s where the magic happens. Also, remember to have fun.”