DRMERS CLUB: DRM Big or DRM Home
By: Naveed Pirouzmand & Sabrina Yuen
The Ivey Business Review is a student publication conceived, designed and managed by Honors Business Administration students at the Ivey Business School.
“DRMERS CLUB merges streetwear and storytelling, embracing the idea that meaningful designs can help people feel connected and supported on their journey of self-discovery.” – September 2023 GQ Issue
Founded in 2020, DRMERS CLUB is a Vancouver-based apparel company that releases limited-edition clothing lines to encourage buyers to feel connected and supported on their journey of self-discovery. The business came to fruition after its founder, Judy Yeung, an accounting graduate of the University of British Columbia (UBC), declined a full-time job to pursue her venture. She aimed to inspire others to follow their passions and create a better world through fashion.
From Fabric to Followers: The DRMERS Model
Brand
Attaining over 208,000 followers on Instagram and expanding to include multiple employees, DRMERS CLUB has experienced extremely rapid growth despite solely operating a storefront on Instagram. It caters primarily to Generation Z consumers and offers a diverse range of casual and trendy apparel, including hoodies, tees, and knitwear spanning over 100 unique items (SKUs) in various sizes. DRMERS CLUB focuses on creating an engaging shopping experience through user-friendly tools like Instagram-integrated product displays, which help customers find their business through social media.
By combining minimalistic yet expressive graphics with ethically sourced materials, DRMERS CLUB cultivated a strong brand identity centred on Yeung’s stories of humble beginnings and rejection of mainstream expectations. This resonates strongly with its target demographic of late teens to early twenties, as opposed to the more faceless identity of many mainstream and competing online brands.
Ambassadors
To further promote its products among this group, DRMERS CLUB runs an extensive influencer-referral marketing strategy of recruiting youth ambassadors from a pool of existing customers. By representing their brand in exchange for exclusive discounts, commission on sales, and “effective influencer training,” these micro-influencers—typically active youth with a strong following on social media—form a core distribution strategy that enables the brand to obtain buy-in at a hyperlocal scale.
Scarcity
Another core promotional vector is its scarcity-based product release approach, which plays a central role in establishing DRMERS CLUB’s reputation of exclusivity. By releasing limited quantities of products only available for a short period, consumers are incentivized to pay close attention to the brand’s online presence while perceiving each item as a unique opportunity to own a rare piece of clothing instead of simply another standard purchase. This highly customized release schedule enables DRMERS CLUB’s collection to stand out in a crowded and easily replicable online marketplace.
Initiatives
In line with its overall identity and brand messaging, DRMERS CLUB actively and continuously contributes to projects and non-profit organizations in its local communities (primarily in lower British Columbia). Each quarter, it donates a portion of its profits to various organizations, such as the C.O.D.E. Initiative, a STEM educator for youth with exceptionalities, Junior Achievement, a hands-on entrepreneurship club, and the Pacific Autism Family Network.
DRMERS CLUB supports its communities by ethically and ecologically manufacturing clothing in Canada. The brand works closely with its clothing makers to uphold high standards of quality, durability, and sustainability, using organic cotton and recycled fabrics, reinforcing its commitment to eco-friendly fashion. This attention to responsible sourcing ensures that their streetwear is both stylish and low-impact on the environment, enticing eco-conscious consumers.
DRM-ing Bigger!
Despite this, these initiatives do not preclude DRMERS CLUB from the challenges that all e-commerce brands face. With its minimal barriers to entry and Instagram’s full-service marketing tools, any creative entrepreneur can launch and grow a clothing brand online, leading to an oversaturated market. Seven percent of U.S. consumers now shop regularly on Instagram, and significant overlap exists in sellers’ product line-ups. Consequently, brands struggle to differentiate themselves even with aggressive marketing tactics, design re-vamps, and cost leadership. At the same time, consumers are left questioning the quality of the products they purchase and their brand loyalties.
To differentiate itself from the increasingly crowded competition on the Instagram digital storefront, DRMERS CLUB should explore expansion to physical storefronts that give consumers a new way of interacting with their products while staying true to their customer-centric brand.
In-person experiences will be central to DRMERS CLUB’s value proposition, as the brand is deeply committed to enhancing each customer’s unique journey through exceptional customer experience. Given its position in a fragmented clothing market, DRMERS CLUB has already embraced the power of storytelling to engage customers. However, the brand can create an even more personalized shopping experience. By fostering genuine staff-to-client interactions, DRMERS CLUB can tap into a loyal customer base that will be 50 percent more likely to return for future purchases. This approach will strengthen the connection with customers and drive long-term success.
Synergies with Online Sales
A common misconception about retail transitions from online to physical stores is that it will alienate or confuse their target consumers. In reality, the opposite is true. According to the International Council of Shopping Centres, digital-native retailers experience a surge in online traffic—over 45 percent—after opening a physical location. Moreover, Harvard Business Review found that omnichannel customers, those who shop online and in-store, spend more per transaction than single-channel buyers. By expanding into new distribution channels, DRMERS CLUB will increase foot traffic to their physical locations and drive engagement in their home base, ultimately boosting sales and growing the brand's presence.
Coming Full Circle: Hitting the Books-Store
“I forgot to ask myself what I truly wanted. What was my dream? This was when the idea of DRMERS CLUB was born (literally a full circle moment).” – Judy Yeung
Just as her journey came full circle, DRMERS CLUB should return to its roots by launching a limited-edition physical presence at UBC’s Bookstore to inspire students to take risks and pursue their dreams, a challenge to follow Yeung’s footsteps. The UBC Bookstore is a hub for the UBC community, providing various products and services. It supports the success of UBC students by offering essential resources, such as textbooks, stationery, and technology while promoting school spirit with UBC-branded merchandise. The Bookstore hosts community-focused events and aligns with UBC’s values, including sustainability and inclusivity. Across its Vancouver, Okanagan, and satellite locations, the bookstore attracts many student visits annually, facilitated by its central locations and wide offerings. The University’s unique branding to inspire students to be self-driven aligns perfectly with the DRMERS CLUB philosophy and its motto, Tuum Est (It is Yours). It encourages students to shape their futures by embracing the challenges and rewards of daring to follow a passion.
UBC’s initiatives align with supporting Yeung, an alumna, in telling her story of being a female entrepreneur, which can be further built on through a speaker series or tie-ins to curricula. For example, the UBC Bookstore’s “Made by You, for You” section showcases merchandise made by UBC students and alumni, which can be a perfect entry point for the company. Expanding on this relationship and origin story can profoundly connect DRMERS CLUB's brand image with university students, made even stronger by a UBC exclusive “What Are Your Drms?” apparel line. Together, these strategies would connect DRMERS CLUB’s message of aspiration and empowerment with UBC’s community, especially as students consider the goals of their educational journey.
Hoodies & Higher Ed: The OVO x UofT Playbook
Substantial precedent exists for similar partnerships between streetwear fashion brands and campus bookstores. In August 2021, Drake’s fashion label, October’s Very Own (OVO), and the University of Toronto (UofT) worked together to launch a limited-edition capsule apparel collection featuring varsity jackets, rugby polos, hooded sweatshirts, fleece pants, and tote bags, all co-branded with OVO's signature owl logo and UofT's maple leaf emblem. Available through the OVO online store and UofT's physical outlets, the collaboration attracted significant attention by communicating a shared message of cultural pride. Within minutes of launching, items sold out online, and long lines formed at the university bookstore and OVO’s Eaton Centre flagship store. Learning from this successful collaboration could enable DRMERS CLUB to win in the physical retail pop-up market, with the UBC Bookstore collaboration serving as a test run for its limited in-person retail initiatives. During the launch, DRMERS CLUB could assess inventory control, product variety, and engagement, to further understand the unique opportunities and challenges offered by in-person pop-up events to inform its long-term expansion strategy.
Worldwide Drms: Pop-ups
Building on this first trial, DRMERS CLUB could use this pilot to guide a nationwide expansion into short-term physical pop-ups at student hubs nationwide. In recent years, consumer-centric brands such as Costco and UberEats have placed sales and marketing teams near campus community centres to engage with students in person. Their success has demonstrated that brands can establish a firm presence during high foot-traffic seasons such as Orientation Week, Homecoming, and other festivities to shape students’ spending habits through a combination of live booths and student ambassadors. DRMERS CLUB should capitalize on its strengths in these areas to enter out-of-province geographies. By tapping into its existing ambassador network, the brand can encourage those in areas with high concentrations of students to host a booth for the brand at their respective community centers. Implementing this model effectively launches an “in-your-face” marketing campaign to a constant influx of target consumers but with all the cost-saving benefits of a word-of-mouth campaign.
Building on its student-oriented marketing, DRMERS CLUB can further establish its physical presence through short-term pop-ups in Canadian cities with a high concentration of their Gen Z target demographic, such as Montreal and Toronto. These outlets should present limited-edition collections using recycled designs or upcycled materials. Expanding the “What Are Your Drms?” campaign allows each city’s residents to share their aspirations from a local standpoint. The most popular submission would guide a city-exclusive collection developed in partnership with local artists, with a portion of the generated revenue being contributed to support local youth organizations. In doing so, DRMERS CLUB would create a personal connection with its consumers while strengthening its commitment to community and social impact.
The Smell of Success: Le Labo’s Limited Collections
When entering new geographies, limited edition and locally targeted products have the potential to cement firms’ footholds in a new market, as shown by the French fragrance brand Le Labo. Its success is rooted in its strong product differentiation and commitment to a personalized, high-quality experience. Unlike traditional fragrance brands that rely on mass production, Le Labo hand-mixes each fragrance to order, with each product labelled with the customer’s name and production date. In 2006, Le Labo launched the “City Exclusive Collection,” which offers fragrances inspired by and exclusive to specific cities worldwide. This line was conceived to capture the essence of each city, with scents carefully crafted to reflect the distinct character, atmosphere, and culture of places such as Tokyo, New York, and Mexico City. As with fashion or jewelry, consumers' scents are expressions of their personalities, lifestyles, and dreams.
Le Labo's success offers valuable insights for DRMERS CLUB's expansion into physical retail spaces, highlighting the power of product differentiation, personalization, and creating unique brand experiences. The "City Exclusive Collection" concept demonstrates the effectiveness of creating limited-edition items that capture the essence of specific locations, which aligns perfectly with DRMERS CLUB's proposed strategy for city-specific collections. By adopting this approach, DRMERS CLUB can create exclusive products that represent the dreams and aspirations of each Canadian city's residents, fostering a strong emotional connection with local communities.
Sew What?
DRMERS CLUB has succeeded through its authenticity, a strong brand identity, and a passionate following. With a strong Instagram following, the brand’s storytelling-driven approach and commitment to ethical fashion have made it a standout in an oversaturated digital marketplace. Its reliance on influencer marketing and scarcity-driven product drops has kept its audience engaged and eager for each new release. However, the challenges of differentiation in a crowded market loom large. With countless competitors offering similar products through identical channels, DRMERS CLUB risks losing its distinctiveness. Consumers increasingly seek more profound connections with brands and online-only interactions limit the opportunity for meaningful engagement. To address these challenges, DRMERS CLUB should embrace blending its strengths in online engagement with the tactile, personal appeal of in-store experiences. A pilot partnership with UBC’s Bookstore would be the ideal first step—a bold return to the brand’s roots that celebrates Judy Yeung’s story while offering a new avenue for growth. From there, the brand can expand nationwide, riding on the coattails of its successful student ambassador programs and relentless focus on giving back to youth. With this, launching exclusive city-inspired products tailored to the local market will continue to differentiate the brand and establish a strong foothold in new markets.
With these changes, DRMERS CLUB can continue achieving its dreams of crafting clothes that look and feel good while inspiring “Drmers, Doers, and Believers” worldwide—one city and one story at a time.
