ChargeX 2025: Notes from the Field – What Apparel Brands Should Know

I had the chance to attend ChargeX 2025 in Los Angeles this April, where over 100 ecommerce brands and tech partners gathered to explore the future of subscription commerce. It was energizing to reconnect with the teams from Recharge, Shopify, YotPo, and Okendo — not just to see familiar faces, but to hear firsthand how they’re evolving their platforms to create better, more personalized customer experiences.

👕 Replenishment is on the Rise for Apparel Brands

One of the standout themes from this year’s event was how apparel brands are increasingly leaning into replenishment subscription models. Think core items like socks, basics, intimates — categories where convenience and habit can drive recurring revenue. Brands are finding that by offering “subscribe & save” options for these essentials, they’re not just making life easier for their customers — they’re boosting LTV and turning casual buyers into loyal subscribers.

📈 Recharge’s New Tools Make Personalization Easier Than Ever

Recharge announced a few key product updates that sparked a lot of discussion among attendees:

• Concierge SMS: A smart messaging tool that allows brands to communicate with subscribers in a more conversational, two-way format — great for reducing churn and increasing satisfaction.

• Copilot: Their new AI assistant, designed to help merchants analyze performance, spot opportunities, and make data-backed decisions faster.

• Revamped Email Notifications: Improved functionality for transactional and subscription emails, giving brands more flexibility and control over how and when they reach customers.

These features are particularly relevant for apparel, where creating a smooth, branded experience across channels is essential for retention.

There were also insightful sessions on retention strategies, with Recharge doubling down on helping brands create high-LTV customer cohorts through exclusive perks, tailored messaging, and frictionless UX. These tactics are already proving valuable for brands looking to build loyalty in a crowded market.

💡 Learning from Leaders: Real-World Wins

Leah Garcia, NULASTIN - Replenishment & Relationships

One of the most compelling stories came from Leah Garcia, founder of NULASTIN. She shared how over 65% of their revenue now comes from subscriptions — and emphasized that building long-term customer trust was the key to hitting a 7:1 marketing efficiency ratio (MER). Her talk was a great reminder that strong subscription programs aren’t just about automation — they’re about relationships.

Paris Hilton, Infinite Icon - Replenishment Adjacent

Paris Hilton's keynote at ChargeX 2025 highlighted her innovative approach to blending fashion, music, and commerce—offering valuable insights for apparel brands exploring replenishment models.

A standout example is her collaboration with Pacsun on the "Infinite Icon" capsule collection. Launched alongside her album of the same name, this limited-edition line featured Y2K-inspired apparel, including cropped tanks, boyfriend tees, baby tees, and hoodies, all adorned with vibrant elements from the album's artwork. The collection was available for preorder exclusively through Pacsun's channels, creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity.

This partnership exemplifies how apparel brands can leverage cultural moments and celebrity collaborations to drive customer engagement and loyalty. By aligning product launches with significant events and utilizing exclusive drops, brands can create a replenishment model that feels fresh and personalized.

Hilton's approach underscores the potential of integrating storytelling with commerce, offering apparel brands a blueprint for building deeper connections with their audience through curated, timely offerings.

🔁 Not Traditional Replenishment — But a Gateway to It

While the "Infinite Icon" line was a limited-edition, preorder-based drop tied to Paris Hilton’s music launch, it did a few things that forward-thinking apparel brands can apply to replenishment models:

Preorder = Predictable Demand

By offering the capsule collection as a preorder, Pacsun and Hilton created a form of planned inventory replenishment. Apparel brands can use similar strategies to gauge demand for recurring seasonal or evergreen collections.

Lifestyle-Driven Loyalty

The drop was deeply tied to Hilton’s personal brand, music, and aesthetic — appealing to a loyal fan base. Apparel brands can leverage this same concept by creating replenishment-worthy items that feel personal and part of a lifestyle (e.g., “Paris-approved” basics that drop quarterly).

Exclusive Access as a Retention Lever

While not structured as a subscription, the drop’s exclusivity and time-bound nature can be easily adapted into a membership or subscription model — e.g., members get early access to Paris-inspired releases or replenishable staples tied to capsule moments.

💡 So, How Can Apparel Brands Adopt This Strategy?

Imagine a brand using a replenishment foundation (monthly delivery of basics) and layering on cultural, influencer, or event-driven drops like the Infinite Icon line. You build recurring revenue and give subscribers access to exclusive fashion content — a win for loyalty and lifetime value.

So while the capsule itself wasn’t a classic replenishment play — the mechanics around it (preorder, exclusivity, lifestyle tie-ins) can absolutely inspire replenishment strategies that feel more dynamic, curated, and connected to culture.

Final Takeaway for Apparel Leaders

If you're in the apparel space and haven’t explored replenishment subscriptions yet, now might be the time. Between the product innovations and the proven impact on loyalty and LTV, there’s real upside — especially for SKUs customers use regularly and repurchase often.

Let me know if you’d like to talk through how these ideas could apply to your business — happy to share more from the event or brainstorm together.