• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

1

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

2

Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic

3

Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire

Bonobos working with Allen and Company for new round of funding

By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Erin Griffith
Erin Griffith
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 4, 2014, 2:30 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

FORTUNE — Bonobos has hired the investment bank Allen & Company to help it raise a new round of funding, according to several sources familiar with the situation. The New York-based apparel company has been shopping the round to a number of late-stage venture firms.

The target amount for the raise could not be determined, though we can assume it will be sizable since the company hired a bank to handle the deal. Allen & Company most recently represented Facebook in its $19 billion acquisition of WhatsApp. As the Wall Street Journal noted last week, the famously secretive firm has risen to become an increasingly influential dealmaker in Silicon Valley.

In the past, Bonobos has had little problem attracting venture funding. The men’s apparel maker, founded in 2007, has raised a total of $73 million from venture firms. Presumably this time around, Bonobos will not be soliciting any “dumb” VC’s who might have read CEO Andy Dunn’s 2013 blog post, “Dear Dumb VC,” which ruffled a few feathers in the startup community.

Glynn Capital and Mousse Partners led Bonobos’ most recent round of funding, worth $30 million, in March, 2013. Existing investors Accel Partners, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Forerunner Ventures, and Nordstrom also participated.

At the time, CEO Andy Dunn said he expected Bonobos to turn a profit on that round of funding. A Bonobos spokesperson declined to comment on whether the company has turned a profit.

Also at that time Dunn said Bonobos has doubled its revenue each year for the past four years. A Bonobos spokesperson confirmed that that pace of growth continued in 2013. Seven months later, TheStreet.com reported that Bonobos would be headed for an IPO in 2014. 

MORE: In Silicon Valley, a conference for female founders

Even with the revenue growth, sources indicate revenue has not yet crossed the $100 million range. That means if Bonobos raises as much as it did last time, its venture funding will have surpassed its annual revenue.

A number of startups riding the latest wave of e-commerce have raised monster rounds of funding only to hit stumbling blocks. Fab.com has raised $336 million and the company’s struggles were widely documented last year. ShoeDazzle, a subscription commerce company that had raised $66 million in venture funding, ended up selling itself to a competitor for less than half of what it had raised. Gilt Groupe, backed by $221 million in VC funds, has been promising an IPO for the past two years. Ideeli, a flash-sales site which had raised $107 million in investment, sold to Groupon (GRPN) for just $43 million.

Others have faired well: Zulily’s (ZU) stock has steadily climbed since its IPO in 2013. Wayfair.com is expected to go public soon. In New York, commerce startups such as Etsy, Birchbox, Harry’s and Warby Parker have shown strong growth.

To be sure, Bonobos has already weathered a few bumps and bruises. The company lost its co-founder in a public break-up in 2010. Last year, Bonobos closed down its store and office in Palo Alto as it spun off an in-house tech product the company’s West Coast engineering team had built. The company painted the move as part of a renewed focus on being an apparel company.

In its new focus on brand, Bonobos expanded beyond its signature pants to sell shirts, sweaters and suits. Bonobos launched a women’s line called AYR and a golf line called Maide. The company is also doubling down on its physical showrooms, called Bonobos Guideshops, expanding them to eight locations around the country. Same goes for its partnership with Nordstrom (which is also an investor), which sells Bonobos apparel in 118 stores, and Belk, which carries Bonobos goods in seven stores.

Bonobos declined to comment on fundraising activity.

About the Author
By Erin Griffith
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Qualcomm’s big AI gamble: Breaking Nvidia’s chips stronghold 
AIChips
Qualcomm’s big AI gamble: Breaking Nvidia’s chips stronghold 
By Phil WahbaJune 27, 2026
1 hour ago
U.S. aircraft attack Iran in response to drone strike on cargo ship that Tehran called ‘ceasefire management’ as both sides wrestle for Hormuz control
PoliticsIran
U.S. aircraft attack Iran in response to drone strike on cargo ship that Tehran called ‘ceasefire management’ as both sides wrestle for Hormuz control
By Collin Binkley, Jon Gambrell and The Associated PressJune 26, 2026
10 hours ago
Red Lobster lost millions on its endless shrimp disaster. Shareholders say it was a ‘car crash’ designed to squeeze profits
LawRestaurants
Red Lobster lost millions on its endless shrimp disaster. Shareholders say it was a ‘car crash’ designed to squeeze profits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 26, 2026
12 hours ago
Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
HealthDietary Supplements
Best Beef Organ Supplements (2026): Expert Tested and Reviewed
By Emily PharesJune 26, 2026
12 hours ago
Sam Altman and Donald Trump.
AIOpenAI
OpenAI agrees to stagger rollout of its most powerful model to only Trump-approved customers
By Eva Roytburg and Beatrice NolanJune 26, 2026
13 hours ago
gr
PoliticsElections
Anthropic and OpenAI waged a $27 million proxy war in a Manhattan congressional race. The winner told them both to get lost
By Sasha RogelbergJune 26, 2026
13 hours ago

Most Popular

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
2 days ago
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
Success
Now worth $200 million, Sarah Jessica Parker credits being ‘one of eight kids that struggled financially’ for her hunger, ambition, and work ethic
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 24, 2026
3 days ago
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
Economy
Ray Dalio says the U.S. just had its 'Suez moment'—and history says what comes next could end an empire
By Nick LichtenbergJune 26, 2026
1 day ago
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
Economy
The bond market knows something about the $39 trillion national debt that Washington doesn’t
By Eva RoytburgJune 25, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 26, 2026
19 hours ago
The richest 20% are the only ones powering the U.S. economy, says top economist, but their prospects are entirely reliant on teetering stock prices
Economy
The richest 20% are the only ones powering the U.S. economy, says top economist, but their prospects are entirely reliant on teetering stock prices
By Eleanor PringleJune 26, 2026
21 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.