Here's What Went Down With Lord Von Schmitt Crochet Clothing After Shark Tank
The crochet trend is back in a big way, and Schuyler Ellers is at the forefront of this nostalgic movement. Under the brand name Lord von Schmitt, Ellers brought his crochet designs to "Shark Tank," where he wowed the investors with his handmade pieces. He started the brand in 2010, and has been working hard at it ever since. While the sharks didn't invest in Lord von Schmitt (more on that later), Ellers is really onto something with his artisanal designs. Crochet clothing and accessories are huge at the moment, and people all over the internet are sharing the ways that they're wearing 1970s nostalgia.
While Ellers didn't nab a deal, he's in good company. Many innovative clothing brands have pitched their concepts on "Shark Tank" only to get nothing back, and still thrive without an investor. The eco-friendly apparel brand Pashko was rejected by the sharks, but the company is more alive than ever. Meanwhile, the brand Beloved Shirts also pitched its business to the sharks, only to get unanimous rejections. Nevertheless, the brand is worth several million dollars today. KIN Apparel shook hands with a shark, but the deal fell through. And guess what? Founder Philomina Kane is still at the helm of her thriving clothing company. So the lack of a deal on "Shark Tank" is by no means a death sentence for a business, and it certainly hasn't been for the lively Lord von Schmitt.
Lord von Schmitt was a hit on 'Shark Tank,' but not enough to secure a deal
Schuyler Ellers dazzled the sharks with his "Shark Tank" pitch for the crochet products that made up his business, Lord von Schmitt. He came out in a multi-colored crochet jacket while wearing sunglasses and a ruffled shirt, looking like a retro king. Ellers didn't stop there; he brought out five models who wore his designs so that the sharks could see his creativity. Ellers asked the sharks for $100,000 in exchange for 10% of Lord von Schmitt and, to sweeten the deal, he brought out pieces from his collection so that each shark could try something on. Mark Cuban and Daymond John both tried on crochet bottoms over their pants, and that got a big laugh.
The fun stopped, however, when Ellers got into the nitty-gritty of his sales. He told the sharks that his sales were $188,000 over the past four years, and the year prior, he made $37,000. Lori Greiner was shocked to learn that this was Eller's full-time job and that he lived off of the sales alone. Kevin O'Leary didn't feel like Ellers had enough of a plan, and joked that if he gave Ellers $100,000, he'd basically be providing the designer with the funds from ten years' worth of sales. For all of these reasons, each shark pulled out, and Ellers and his dazzling models left empty-handed.
Lord von Schmitt kept its chin up after 'Shark Tank'
While Schuyler Ellers didn't get any offers on "Shark Tank," he continued to grow Lord von Schmitt. According to The Shark Tank Blog, Ellers saw a spike in sales after his episode aired, so at least he got some of that wonderful "Shark Tank" effect. While pitching to the sharks, Ellers received some really helpful feedback from Mark Cuban that seemed to influence his brand moving forward. Cuban pushed Ellers away from the idea of mass-producing his pieces. "These are basically works of art where you put your heart and soul into it," Cuban said. "Why not charge more? A lot of times when people see something and it costs more than they expect, how they value it goes way up." Cuban was encouraging Ellers to price his pieces not as clothing but as art, and that nothing on Ellers' website should cost less than $250.
A brief peek at Ellers' Etsy shop shows that he did take this to heart in some cases, though perhaps not as much as Cuban would have wanted. There are frequent sales on his site, with pieces priced under $100. However, it's Ellers' brand, and he can price how he sees fit.
Lord von Schmitt is still in business
Things haven't been easy for Schuyler Ellers as he's worked on his brand, Lord von Schmitt. Ellers created a fundraising campaign and shared it on the brand's Facebook page. "Need I say it again, but if you'd like to see this brand move ahead please consider contributing to my crowd funding raise through StartEngine," he began. "For a measly $144, you can join our crochet takeover and CASH IN if the brand hits the big time." We sure hope it does hit it big! His designs are gorgeous.
In October 2023, The Sacramento Bee interviewed Ellers and titled the piece with a "Shark Tank" reference. "Meet the Nevada City fashionista behind Lord von Schmitt crochet line, a 'Shark Tank' no," was the rather stinging headline. But the founder wasn't deterred. Ellers told the outlet that at that point, he had 3,500 sales on Etsy. He also told The Sacramento Bee that he had made over 1,000 pairs of crochet shorts, so our guy is a total pro. He's working hard and is proud of his role in the slow-fashion movement
What's next for Lord von Schmitt and its founder?
Schuyler Ellers is still hard at it making his brand a success. Lord von Schmitt's Instagram page has over 12,000 followers and he frequently posts about new designs and brand activity. In May 2022, he shared that Penthouse used one of his umbrellas on the cover, held by model Trippie Bri. Ellers also shared that he partnered with Skyy Vodka Pride Campaign, where the brand went through every color of the Pride flag. He was the color red, and Ellers rocked a gorgeous, merlot-toned crochet sweater and red umbrella. In August 2022, Ellers also shared that he rocked his designs for the Stone House runway, where he wore a particularly colorful shorts and top set, along with one of Lord von Schmitt's signature umbrellas. There's no shortage of hard work and creativity when it comes to Ellers' work, so we're glad to see that the colorful brand is still in business and that he's continuously creating new designs. Honestly, he should set up a tent at Coachella! His looks radiate such a compelling energy that it suits the festival atmosphere.