How CUTS Clothing Leverages Influencer Marketing to Dominate the Apparel Industry

CUTS Clothing, the premium work-leisure apparel brand, has become a leader in the fashion space thanks to its strategic and authentic approach to influencer marketing. Their strategy emphasizes building genuine relationships, content consistency, and high-impact product seeding. Here are three key tactics that have helped CUTS build a successful influencer marketing program.

1. Long-Term Relationships Over Quick Wins

From the start, CUTS has prioritized building long-term, authentic relationships with influencers who genuinely align with their brand ethos. Instead of focusing on one-off transactions, CUTS develops deeper connections by working with influencers over multiple campaigns and engaging them as brand advocates.

This focus on relationship-building pays off: influencers who love the product naturally become advocates, sharing the brand consistently over time. This strategy has allowed CUTS to foster trust with audiences and maintain credibility, which is especially important when targeting a discerning customer base. This approach is similar to what we have seen with Rare Beauty’s influencer strategy, where they also focus on genuine passion and building relationships before collaborations. Brands looking to replicate this success should focus on fostering relationships that grow and evolve, rather than seeking instant results.

2. Thoughtful Product Seeding for Maximum Impact

CUTS has successfully used product seeding as a core part of its influencer strategy. Each month, CUTS spends approximately $25,000 seeding product to influencers, but they do so thoughtfully and selectively. Rather than taking a spray-and-pray approach, CUTS limits seeding to a few influencers per community or group to create a sense of exclusivity and avoid over-saturation.

This strategic approach has created a snowball effect where influencers receive the product, love it, and start organically promoting it—often leading other influencers to take notice. By thoughtfully selecting who receives the product, CUTS ensures influencers feel valued, which increases the chances they will share their experiences genuinely. This is different from the approach taken by Pela Case, which seeds thousands of influencers monthly. Pela's broader seeding approach works well for them by generating widespread visibility, while CUTS' selective seeding creates exclusivity and deeper relationships. For brands wanting to see similar success, it’s essential to prioritize quality over quantity when sending products, focusing on those who are the best fit for your brand.

3. Integrating Influencer Content with Paid Media

CUTS doesn’t stop at organic influencer posts; they have also built a highly effective system for incorporating influencer-generated content into their paid media campaigns. The brand uses a combination of whitelisting (running ads through influencer accounts) and paid campaigns that feature influencer content. This strategy not only extends the reach of high-quality influencer content but also helps the brand achieve lower Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) rates and increase the overall efficiency of its advertising.

The emphasis is on ensuring that influencer content reflects the CUTS brand aesthetic—highlighting a professional yet modern lifestyle, which resonates with their target audience. This integration of influencer content with paid media reflects similar approaches taken by other brands like SEED, where they effectively combined whitelisting and influencer-generated content for greater ad efficiency. Brands aiming to maximize their influencer investment should explore ways to use influencer-generated content in their broader advertising strategy to amplify reach and build trust.

Wrapping It Up: Key Takeaways for Brands

CUTS Clothing’s influencer marketing success is driven by their focus on long-term relationships, thoughtful product seeding, and integrating influencer content into paid media. By prioritizing authenticity, exclusivity, and strategic amplification, CUTS has established itself as a leading brand in the apparel industry.

If you’re ready to build an effective influencer marketing strategy that fosters authentic connections and drives results, schedule a call with SEVA today to learn how we can help you scale your efforts thoughtfully and successfully.