How Djerf Avenue Built a $36M Brand in 5 Years

Djerf Avenue, founded by social media influencer Matilda Djerf in December 2019, grew from a small startup into a $36 million global fashion brand by 2024 (Fortune, 2025). 

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The brand's rapid rise was fueled by authenticity, community-driven marketing, and sustainability, though a workplace controversy in late 2024 triggered a significant reset.

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Here is how Djerf Avenue reached its peak and what the brand looks like today.

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1. Matilda Djerf's journey: From social media influencer to entrepreneur

1.1 Matilda Djerf's success story: Authenticity from the start

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Djerf Avenue's success is deeply tied to Matilda Djerf's authenticity. 

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She started her influencer journey in 2016 by sharing her travels and daily outfits (OOTDs) on Instagram, gaining attention for her honest, unfiltered posts. 

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Her genuine connection with followers helped her build a strong community, and by late 2025 she had roughly 2.7 million Instagram followers (Fortune, 2025) and millions of TikTok likes.

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1.2 Transitioning to entrepreneurship: The start of Djerf Avenue 

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In 2019, Matilda Djerf used her growing influence and successful brand collaborations to launch Djerf Avenue with her partner, Rasmus Johansson. 

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Noticing the success of her design collaborations with other brands, Matilda realised her vision could thrive independently. 

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"The collections that I did with other brands would sell out every time. Me and my partner, who is CEO of Djerf Avenue, both felt like it was time for us to do our own thing because if we could sell out for other brands, why wouldn't we be able to sell out for our own brand?," Djerf said.

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The brand became an immediate success, driven by her ability to translate her style into a product line resonating with her audience. 

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Despite some controversy in 2023 over design similarities, their transparency and willingness to address criticism helped them regain customer trust.

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A larger crisis arrived in December 2024, when Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet published allegations from 11 current and former employees describing workplace bullying and body-shaming (Aftonbladet, 2024). Matilda issued a public apology. The company brought in external CEO Nanna Hedlund in April 2025, cut roughly 60% of its workforce, and posted a SEK 55 million loss on revenue of approximately SEK 175 million in 2025, about half of the 2024 level (Sweden Herald, 2026). Hedlund stepped down from the CEO role in February 2026. Djerf Avenue continued operating through the turbulence, opening pop-ups in New York (September 2025) and at London's Selfridges (November 2025 to February 2026) as part of its comeback strategy.

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2. Building the brand: Djerf Avenue's unique selling points

2.1 Djerf Avenue's style: Timeless Scandinavian-inspired pieces 

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From its inception, Djerf Avenue distinguished itself through a focus on quality.

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Matilda created the brand based on her wardrobe needs, designing timeless pieces that could be styled in various ways. 

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This core wardrobe approach set Djerf Avenue apart from fast fashion, attracting customers seeking versatility and lasting quality.

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They also doesn't follow traditional collection releases. Instead, it focuses on small drops spread throughout the year.

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"What I wanted with Djerf Avenue was to give people classic and comfortable staples that they can wear again and again or style in multiple ways over years" Matilda affirmed to The New York Times.

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2.2 Djerf Avenue's core value: Size inclusivity and sustainability

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Unlike many European brands with limited sizing, Djerf Avenue embraced inclusivity from the start, offering sizes from XXS to XXXL.

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This commitment to diverse body types helped the brand resonate globally, especially in markets like the U.S. where inclusivity is crucial. 

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Sustainability is also key to Djerf Avenue's success.

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Rather than positioning itself as purely sustainable, Djerf Avenue takes a nuanced approach, emphasising ethical production and high-quality materials sourced from factories in Portugal, Italy, and Sweden. 

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Each factory is chosen for its expertise, and Djerf Avenue highlights its values and craftsmanship on their website. 

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By focusing on creating pieces meant to last, the brand offers an alternative to the wasteful, fast-fashion model, something that deeply resonates with the Gen Z market, which is hyper-aware of environmental issues.

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3. Djerf Avenue's rise to popularity: #1 TikTok viral brand

3.1  Djerf Avenue's social media growth: Organic and community focus

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Djerf Avenue's marketing strategy is a masterclass in organic growth. 

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With a small marketing budget (only 2-5% of revenue vs. 20% on average for e-commerce), the brand taps into Matilda Djerf's Instagram and TikTok presence, sharing relatable, everyday moments like cooking and city strolls. 

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By embracing diversity in body types and backgrounds, Djerf Avenue challenges an industry known for unrealistic beauty standards and builds real connection with its audience. 

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This use of real customers as models and avoidance of photo retouching further deepens trust and loyalty.

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To amplify this community-driven approach, Djerf Avenue launched two key initiatives:

• Styleboards allow customers to showcase their styled outfits, turning them into brand ambassadors while fostering collaboration through user-generated content. 
• Angels' Avenue, an online forum, provides a space for customers to connect, share fashion tips, and engage in deeper conversations with the brand and each other. 

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These efforts extend the brand's organic growth and create a participatory, inclusive culture.

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3.1.1 Community ambassador: Djerf Avenue's Icons campaign

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Djerf Avenue's Icons campaign captured the essence of their brand: community.‍

Featuring 40 loyal followers in an authentic photo shoot, the campaign focuses on both new products and the customers who love them, turning each participant into a brand ambassador. ‍

This strategy, extending from social media to their website, emphasises the brand's commitment to valuing community over consumers. 

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3.1.2 A perfect match: Djerf Avenue x Sofia Richie collaboration

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Djerf Avenue chose Sofia Richie for their first collaboration because she perfectly embodies the brand's clean, rich-girl aesthetic. 

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Known for her elegant, minimalistic style, Sofia's fashion presence aligned well with Djerf Avenue's timeless, understated pieces. 

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Sofia's growing popularity in 2023 made this collaboration well-timed, connecting the brand with a wider audience. 

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This partnership reflected both influencers' shared values of sophistication and luxury, making the launch a huge success among their fans.

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As Matilda shared with Vogue Scandinavia, "This is the first collaboration Djerf Avenue has ever done with a profile, and we are so happy to be doing this with Sofia."

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3.2 Djerf Avenue's brand activation: Pop-up stores as experience-driven marketing

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Djerf Avenue's pop-up stores, a key part of their marketing strategy, offered customers an exclusive in-person experience. 

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These events generated significant social media buzz and allowed for deeper customer engagement beyond online shopping.

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3.2.1 First pop-up in Los Angeles (2022)

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Djerf Avenue's first pop-up introduced the brand to the U.S., featuring its minimalist, chic staples. Fans flocked to try on their iconic pieces, with lines forming around the block.

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The event solidified Djerf Avenue's U.S. presence, creating buzz across social media.

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3.2.2 SoHo, New York (2023)

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Djerf Avenue's New York debut in SoHo saw the launch of exclusive items like the "I Heart DA" T-shirt. 

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The event attracted massive crowds (even Hailey Bieber joined!) and concluded with a fashion show at the Guggenheim, live-streamed globally.

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3.2.3 Greene Street, New York (2024)

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To meet demand, Djerf Avenue returned with an expanded pop-up that included a full salon offering hair styling sessions using their new beauty line. 

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The pop-up attracted nearly 1,000 daily visitors and showcased exclusive Djerf Avenue Beauty products.

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3.2.4 NYC Townhouse and London Selfridges (2025)

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In September 2025, Djerf Avenue returned to New York with an invite-only Townhouse pop-up on East 35th Street, offering fans a three-day showroom experience. Later that year, the brand opened a pop-up inside London's Selfridges (November 2025 to February 2026), marking its first major UK retail presence and signaling that Djerf Avenue was actively rebuilding after the December 2024 controversy.

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Djerf Avenue's rise from a startup to a $36 million brand in roughly five years showed what authenticity and community-focused marketing can achieve. 

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Matilda Djerf's organic social media presence laid the foundation, building realness and trust with her audience. 

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Showcasing real customers, avoiding photo retouching, and community initiatives like Styleboards and Angels' Avenue all drove deep engagement with the brand's core following. 

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The December 2024 workplace allegations tested that community's loyalty, and the halved 2025 revenue plus a SEK 55 million loss showed real consequences. With CEO Nanna Hedlund departing in February 2026, the brand faces another leadership transition. Still, Djerf Avenue's continued expansion into physical retail through pop-ups in NYC and London suggests the story is far from over.