How Samuelsohn Reclaimed Its Identity and Increased ARR by $4M in 6 Months

Background

Samuelsohn, a heritage luxury menswear brand, was approaching its 100th anniversary and preparing for a new chapter. The leadership team had already started modernizing the brand—testing new designs, updating pricing, and pushing innovation to stay competitive.

But as the changes rolled out, something unexpected happened: retention dropped.

Despite a century of craftsmanship and brand equity, Samuelsohn was seeing signs that their core customers were drifting. The team needed to find out why—and fast.

The Challenge

Samuelsohn didn't want to just refresh the brand for the sake of it. They wanted to evolve in a way that stayed true to what their customers valued most. But internal opinions were mixed. New designs weren't landing. And pricing shifts had raised questions about perceived value.

They needed clarity.

• What did their best retail customers really want?
• What did they value most about the brand?
• And what was pushing them away?

"We were trying to be something we weren't—and their research reminded us we need to go back to our roots."

The Solution

Samuelsohn partnered with Decode to dig deep into the voice of their core customers—retail buyers who had been selling the brand for years and knew exactly what made it special.

Decode ran in-depth interviews to understand:

• What customers loved and didn't want to lose
• What made Samuelsohn stand out from other suiting brands
• How pricing, quality, and product changes were really being perceived
• What would restore long-term loyalty and advocacy

These weren't surface-level surveys. They were raw, direct, and emotional conversations with the people who knew the product best.

The Insights

Decode surfaced what the internal team had lost sight of: Samuelsohn wasn't just a suit—it was a category of its own. A blend of quality, flexibility, and classic style that filled a niche few competitors could match.

The Changes

Based on Decode's customer truth, Samuelsohn made bold, strategic shifts:

• Scaled back newer designs that lacked traction
• Reinvested in original, heritage designs customers still loved
• Sharpened pricing strategy to reinforce their "best value for quality" position
• Increased product quality and detailing to further differentiate
• Reduced overproduction and R&D waste, focusing only on what resonated

The Impact (6 Months)

"Decode helped us understand what our customers treasured most. The insight they gathered gave us clarity on what we needed to change and prioritize. Now we have a stronger pricing strategy, a more valuable product, and more loyal customers."

What This Unlocked

Decode helped Samuelsohn stop guessing—and start acting on what their customers actually wanted.

The fix: third-party interviews with key customers to understand why they stay—or leave.

The result: brand clarity, pricing confidence, and millions in revenue recovery.