Italic Review: How to Buy Designer-Worthy Clothes at Cost

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Shopping for clothes just got more interesting. Truly. Because there’s a new player in town called Italic that’ll sell you designer-quality garments at cost. At. Cost. OK — so there is a tiny catch. Italic has a membership fee — it’s less than what you’re paying for Amazon Prime today. Once you join, you can buy any piece on the website without a markup. Intrigued? Then read on for my Italic review.

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The premise of Italic is so simple, you might wonder why you didn’t think of it (I certainly did!). The shop makes its money on membership fees, not the clothes it sells. Of course, that setup only works if the clothes are amazing and people want to buy them. And Italic does not disappoint on that front. The membership shop uses the same manufacturers that are already producing garments, jewelry, and home goods for high-end labels. The fashion collection is impressive in its style, which is chic and classic at the same time. And I can personally vouch for the quality, which is far superior to what you’d get for a similar price in a retail store.

The big difference between, say, a sweater you’d buy from Italic and a sweater you’d buy from Bloomingdale’s is brand. Italic’s entire collection is brandless, and that’s what keeps the price low. Without a brand, there’s no brand markup. And Italic’s membership-only structure means there’s no retailer markup either. You pay the actual cost to manufacture your clothes, plus shipping — and that’s it. According to Italic’s estimates, this structure saves you about 64% relative to purchasing clothes from online brands.

Italic review: Value

Italic offered to send me a piece from the collection without charge, which I accepted. I wasn’t sure I’d write a post about it at the time — but I did want to know if Italic lived up to its promises. If one sweater is any indication, I’d say yes, Italic is the real deal.

Now’s a good place to point out that you don’t have to take my word on Italic. The site does offer a moneyback guarantee on your membership, which means you can give it a test run without obligation. If you initiate a membership and change your mind within 30 days, you can cancel for a full refund. If you placed an order in that first 30 days, you can also return the garments in new condition and those will be refunded, too.  

So back to my Italic sweater. You can see the product page for the crop-length, cashmere piece here. I chose the citrus color to add some vibrancy to my fall wardrobe. I knew I’d like the color, but I was blown away by the texture. This piece is so soft and luxurious, I want to wear it every day. And it definitely has that high-design feel, even when paired with a basic pair of jeans and my favorite sneakers. The Italic price on this piece is $75, which is more than I’d normally spend on a sweater — but it’s also much nicer than 80% of what’s in my closet.

Below are a few other Italic pieces that look like incredible values to this budget fashionista.

Kinsey Wool Cashmere Double Faced Robe Coat, $225

Fitted tee, $15

Point Dume Cat Eye Sunglasses, $50

Cashmere Slippers, $65

Italic review: FAQs

Here are some questions I had about Italic that may help you decide if membership is right for you.

What’s Italic’s product return policy?

Cosmetics, swimwear, candles, and personalized products are not returnable. Other items can be returned within 30 days as long as they are unworn and unused. Italic pays the return shipping and you are refunded in the original form of payment.

What does an Italic membership cost?

The membership is $100 per year and renews automatically. Italic will notify you when your renewal date is 14 days away.

What’s the story with shipping?

Standard shipping is free on orders over $50 and takes four to six business days. You can also upgrade to UPS two-day shipping for $20 and UPS next-day for $30. For orders under $50, standard shipping is $7.

Italic currently ships to all 50 U.S. states currently.

What categories of products does Italic sell?

Italic offers women’s and men’s apparel, accessories, and shoes, plus home goods for the kitchen, bedroom, and bath.

Is an Italic membership right for me?

Start by taking a look at the collection on Italic’s website — if you don’t like the clothes, there’s no further consideration. Browse housewares and menswear, too. If you’re going to pay for a membership, you should use all aspects of it. Consider whether you’d buy from these other categories for yourself or spouses. You can use your Italic membership to buy gifts, but make sure to request a gift receipt. Your giftee can exchange the item for store credit as long as he or she has that gift receipt.

You’re a good candidate for an Italic membership if you appreciate well-made goods and you’re the type to invest in wardrobe classics that will last for years, like trench coats and cashmere scarves. In that case, you’d easily pay for the cost of membership in an order or two. Italic actually estimates that 93% of members break even on their first order. Ready to join Italic? Start here.