Shopbop
Amazon-owned online fashion retailer offering women's apparel, shoes, bags, accessories, and selected men's and beauty products.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Shopbop is a United States-based online fashion retailer headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. The business began in November 1999 as the internet operation of Bop, a brick-and-mortar clothing store located in downtown Madison. Its founders were Bob Lamey, Martha Graettinger, and venture investor Ray Zemon. The founders selected Madison in part because its university-town population provided a fashion-conscious customer base while also offering a suitable setting for an early e-commerce experiment. The retailer initially concentrated on women's contemporary and high-end fashion. Its assortment developed around clothing, footwear, handbags, and accessories from multiple brands rather than products made primarily under the Shopbop name. The range has included designer merchandise alongside more accessible and trend-oriented items, allowing the site to serve customers seeking both premium fashion and less expensive contemporary products. Women's categories have included dresses, tops, trousers, denim, skirts, outerwear, swimwear, lingerie, shoes, bags, jewelry, and other accessories. Amazon acquired Shopbop in February 2006. At the time of the transaction, the retailer carried 103 high-end clothing lines. After the acquisition, Shopbop continued to operate with substantial independence from Amazon's broader fashion retail operations. The two businesses could offer overlapping clothing and accessories while retaining distinct merchandising, brand presentation, and customer experiences. The acquisition gave Shopbop the backing of Amazon while preserving its identity as a curated fashion destination. The site underwent several redesigns as its digital retail model evolved, with notable redesign work reported in 2012 and 2017. These changes included developments to the shopping experience and the addition of a loyalty program. The retailer also expanded beyond its original women's focus. In September 2013 it introduced East Dane, a separate contemporary menswear site. East Dane offered men's clothing, shoes, and accessories, including products from brands such as Calvin Klein, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger. In 2021, the East Dane operation was merged into Shopbop.com, consolidating the men's offering within the main platform. Shopbop expanded into beauty in 2022, adding another category to its fashion-led assortment. Its overall positioning remains that of a curated, digitally native fashion retailer rather than a conventional department store: it aggregates established designer, contemporary, and accessible brands, presents them through editorial and merchandising choices, and sells primarily through its e-commerce platform. The business is owned by Amazon and remains active, with women's fashion continuing to form its central commercial identity and men's and beauty categories broadening its scope.
History
Shopbop was established in November 1999 in Madison, Wisconsin, by Bob Lamey, Martha Graettinger, and venture investor Ray Zemon. The company originated as the online presence of Bop, a downtown Madison clothing retailer. The founders viewed Madison's college-town environment as a useful base for an internet fashion business because of its concentration of fashion-aware students and young consumers. Bop's physical store later closed in 2014, while Shopbop continued as an online business. In its early years, Shopbop focused on women's clothing and accessories, using the internet to present a broad selection of high-end and contemporary fashion labels. Its business model was based on retailing products from numerous brands rather than relying on a single proprietary collection. The assortment grew to encompass apparel, shoes, handbags, and accessories, spanning designer merchandise and more affordable trend-driven products. By the time Amazon acquired the company in February 2006, Shopbop was selling 103 high-end clothing lines. The Amazon transaction changed Shopbop's ownership but did not eliminate its separate retail identity. Shopbop operated almost completely independently from Amazon's general clothing and accessories business, and the two platforms could compete for some of the same fashion customers. This structure allowed Shopbop to retain a specialized, curated fashion proposition while benefiting from its relationship with a much larger technology and e-commerce company. Shopbop periodically revised its digital storefront as online shopping habits changed. Significant redesigns took place in 2012 and 2017. Among the changes associated with the site's development was the introduction of a loyalty program, intended to support repeat purchasing and customer engagement. These updates reflected the retailer's continuing emphasis on a dedicated, editorially presented online shopping experience rather than a generic marketplace format. The company expanded into menswear in September 2013 by launching East Dane, a separate contemporary men's fashion website. East Dane carried men's clothing, footwear, and accessories from brands including Calvin Klein, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger. The initiative gave Shopbop a distinct platform for a new customer segment while preserving the established Shopbop identity for women's fashion. In 2021, East Dane was merged into Shopbop.com, consolidating the men's assortment within the principal website. Shopbop added beauty in 2022, another expansion beyond its original apparel and accessories base. The company's product universe now includes women's fashion as its core, selected men's clothing and accessories, and beauty products. Its retail proposition is centered on curation: it combines recognizable designer and contemporary labels, presents products through a fashion-oriented digital storefront, and offers customers a range that extends from premium pieces to more accessible items. Shopbop remains an active Amazon-owned online retailer headquartered in Madison, with no indication in the cited reference material that it has become a separately listed company.
- 2022
Beauty category launches
[1]Shopbop introduces beauty products as a new category.
- 2021
East Dane is integrated into Shopbop
[1]The separate East Dane menswear site is merged into Shopbop.com.
- 2017
Further website redesign
[1]Shopbop completes another notable redesign and develops its online shopping and loyalty experience.
- 2014
Bop physical store closes
[1]The downtown Madison brick-and-mortar retailer that originally provided Shopbop's foundation closes, while Shopbop continues online.
- 2013
East Dane launches
[1]Shopbop launches East Dane as a contemporary menswear website in September.
- 2012
Major website redesign
[1]Shopbop undertakes a significant redesign of its e-commerce website as its digital retail experience develops.
- 2006
Amazon acquisition
[1]Amazon acquires Shopbop in February. The retailer remains a distinct fashion operation within Amazon's broader commerce portfolio.
- 1999
Shopbop is founded in Madison
[1]Bob Lamey, Martha Graettinger, and Ray Zemon establish Shopbop in November as the online counterpart to the Madison clothing store Bop.
Products and positioning
Curated mid- to high-end online fashion retailer
Women's fashion · 1999
Women's apparel
Women's apparel is Shopbop's core product area. The assortment has included dresses, tops, trousers, jeans, skirts, outerwear, swimwear, lingerie, and related seasonal fashion. It combines designer and contemporary labels with more accessible trend-oriented products, giving the platform a broad range within a curated online retail environment.
Footwear · 1999
Women's shoes
Shopbop offers women's footwear alongside its apparel assortment. The category forms part of the retailer's broader fashion selection and is presented through a multi-brand model that includes higher-end designer products as well as contemporary and more accessible styles.
Fashion accessories · 1999
Handbags and accessories
Bags and accessories are an important part of Shopbop's fashion proposition. The selection includes handbags and other fashion accessories that complement the clothing and footwear ranges, allowing the retailer to provide complete looks across designer, contemporary, and trend-focused brand segments.
Men's fashion · 2013
East Dane men's assortment
Originally sold through the East Dane website launched in 2013, the men's assortment includes clothing, shoes, and accessories. Brands identified in the reference material include Calvin Klein, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger. East Dane's products were integrated into Shopbop.com in 2021.
Beauty · 2022
Beauty
Shopbop entered beauty in 2022, extending its online assortment beyond fashion apparel, footwear, handbags, and accessories. The cited material confirms the category's launch but does not specify its detailed brand portfolio or product subcategories.
Brand decisions
2022
Add beauty to the retail assortmentProduct launchBackground
Shopbop's established assortment was centered on apparel, footwear, bags, and accessories.
Action taken
The retailer launched a beauty category.
Aftermath
Beauty became an additional category within Shopbop's fashion-oriented online retail offering.
2021
Consolidate East Dane into ShopbopStrategyBackground
East Dane had operated as a separate menswear destination since its 2013 launch.
Action taken
Shopbop merged the East Dane operation into Shopbop.com.
Aftermath
Men's clothing, shoes, and accessories became part of the main Shopbop platform rather than remaining on a separate branded website.
2013
Expand into contemporary menswearStrategyBackground
Shopbop had historically concentrated on women's fashion and sought to serve an additional customer segment.
Action taken
The company launched East Dane as a separate website for contemporary men's clothing, shoes, and accessories.
Aftermath
The men's operation was later consolidated into Shopbop.com in 2021.
2006
Join Amazon through acquisitionM&ABackground
Shopbop had developed as an online specialist in high-end and contemporary fashion, with 103 high-end clothing lines reported at the time of the transaction.
Action taken
Amazon acquired Shopbop in February 2006 and retained it as a substantially independent fashion retail operation.
Aftermath
Shopbop continued to maintain a distinct brand and customer proposition while operating within Amazon's corporate ownership.
Recent events
- 2022
Shopbop enters beauty[1]
Product launch
Shopbop added a beauty category to its online assortment, broadening its offering beyond apparel, footwear, bags, and accessories.
- 2021
East Dane merges into Shopbop.com[1]
M&A
The East Dane menswear operation was consolidated into the main Shopbop website, bringing men's apparel, shoes, and accessories into the principal platform.
- 2013
Shopbop launches East Dane menswear site[1]
Product launch
Shopbop introduced East Dane as a separate contemporary menswear website, extending the business beyond its established women's fashion focus.
- 2006
Amazon acquires Shopbop[1]
M&A
Amazon acquired the Madison-based online fashion retailer in February 2006. Shopbop continued to operate with substantial independence while becoming an Amazon subsidiary.
Sources2 sources
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