Digital Brands Group, Inc. 10-K

ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements of the relevant entities and the pro forma financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-K. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Unless otherwise indicated by the context, references to “DBG” refer to Digital Brands Group, Inc. solely, and references to the “Company,” “our,” “we,” “us” and similar terms refer to Digital Brands Group, Inc., together with its wholly-owned subsidiaries Bailey 44, LLC (“Bailey”), Harper & Jones LLC (“H&J”), MOSBEST, LLC (“Stateside”) and Sunnyside (“Sundry”). Business Overview Recent Developments We entered into a license deal for Bailey 44 in January 2023 that is paid quarterly based on the results. We have received two license payouts since November 2023 for approximately $124,000 in total. The licensee has asked to add additional categories to their current offering, which we agreed to. We entered into a retail store sublease for approximately 3.5 years at the Simon Premium Outlet in Allen, TX, a suburb of Dallas. We plan to open the store in April 2024. We expect the store to generate meaningful cash flow as we already have excess product that we can sell, which means we will not have to use cash to create inventory for sale. We expect the store to generate over $1.5 million in annual revenue and over $500,000 in free cash flow. We have been involved in a dispute with the former owners of Haper & Jones, LLC (“H&J”) regarding our obligation to “true up” their ownership interest in our company further to that membership interest purchase agreement dated May 10, 2021 whereby we acquired all of the outstanding membership interests of H&J (as amended, the “H&J Purchase Agreement”). Further to the H&J Purchase Agreement, we agreed that if, at May 18, 2022, the one year anniversary of the closing date of our initial public offering, the product of the number of shares of our common stock issued at the closing of such acquisition multiplied by the average closing price per share of our shares of common stock as quoted on the NasdaqCM for the thirty (30) day trading period immediately preceding such date plus the gross proceeds, if any, of shares of our stock issued to such sellers and sold by them during the one year period from the closing date of the offering does not exceed the sum of $9.1 million, less the value of any shares of common stock cancelled further to any indemnification claims or post-closing adjustments under the H&J Purchase Agreement, then we shall issue to the subject sellers an additional aggregate number of shares of common stock equal to any such valuation shortfall at a per share price equal to the then closing price per share of our common stock as quoted on the NasdaqCM. We did not honor our obligation to issue such shares and the former owner of H&J have claimed that they were damaged as a result. On June 21, 2023, the Company and the former owners of H&J executed a Settlement Agreement and Release (the “Settlement Agreement”) whereby contemporaneously with the parties’ execution of the Settlement Agreement (i) the Company made aggregate cash payment of $229,000 to D. Jones Tailored Collection, Ltd. (“D. Jones”), (ii) the Company issued 78,103 shares of common stock to D. Jones at a per share purchase price of $17.925 which represented the lower of (i) the closing price per share of the Common Stock as reported on Nasdaq on June 20, 2023, and (ii) the average closing price per share of Common Stock as reported on the Nasdaq for the five trading days preceding June 21, 2023, and (iii) the Company assigned and transferred one hundred percent (100%) of the Company’s membership interest in H&J to D. Jones. This transaction is known as the “H&J Settlement”. Our Company Digital Brands Group is a curated collection of lifestyle brands, including Bailey 44, DSTLD, Stateside, Sundry and ACE Studios, that offers a variety of apparel products through direct-to-consumer and wholesale distribution. Our complementary brand portfolio provides us with the unique opportunity to cross merchandise our brands. We aim for our customers to wear our brands head to toe and to capture what we call “closet share” by gaining insight into their preferences to create targeted and personalized content specific to their cohort. Operating our brands under one portfolio provides us with the ability to better utilize our technological, human capital and 38 Table of Contents operational capabilities across all brands. As a result, we have been able to realize operational efficiencies and continue to identify additional cost saving opportunities to scale our brands and overall portfolio. Our portfolio consists of four significant brands that leverage our three channels: our websites, wholesale and our own stores. ● Bailey 44 combines beautiful, luxe fabrics and on-trend designs to create sophisticated ready-to-wear capsules for women on-the-go. Designing for real life, this brand focuses on feeling and comfort rather than how it looks on a runway. Bailey 44 is primarily a wholesale brand, which we are transitioning to a digital, direct-to-consumer brand. ● DSTLD offers stylish high-quality garments without the luxury retail markup valuing customer experience over labels. DSTLD is primarily a digital direct-to-consumer brand, to which we recently added select wholesale retailers to generate brand awareness. ● Stateside is an elevated, America first brand with all knitting, dyeing, cutting and sewing sourced and manufactured locally in Los Angeles. The collection is influenced by the evolution of the classic T-shirt offering a simple yet elegant look. Stateside is primarily a wholesale brand that we will be transitioning to a digital, direct-to-consumer brand. ● Sundry offers distinct collections of women’s clothing, including dresses, shirts, sweaters, skirts, shorts, athleisure bottoms and other accessory products. Sundry’s products are coastal casual and consist of soft, relaxed and colorful designs that feature a distinct French chic, resembling the spirits of the French Mediterranean and the energy of Venice Beach in Southern California. Sundry is primarily a wholesale brand that we will be transitioning to a digital, direct-to-consumer brand. We believe that successful apparel brands sell in all revenue channels. However, each channel offers different margin structures and requires different customer acquisition and retention strategies. We were founded as a digital-first retailer that has strategically expanded into select wholesale and direct retail channels. We strive to strategically create omnichannel strategies for each of our brands that blend physical and online channels to engage consumers in the channel of their choosing. Our products are sold direct-to- consumers principally through our websites and our own showrooms, but also through our wholesale channel, primarily in specialty stores and select department stores. With the continued expansion of our wholesale distribution, we believe developing an omnichannel solution further strengthens our ability to efficiently acquire and retain customers while also driving high customer lifetime value. We believe that by leveraging a physical footprint to acquire customers and increase brand awareness, we can use digital marketing to focus on retention and a very tight, disciplined high value new customer acquisition strategy, especially targeting potential customers lower in the sales funnel. Building a direct relationship with the customer as the customer transacts directly with us allows us to better understand our customer’s preferences and shopping habits. Our substantial experience as a company originally founded as a digitally native-first retailer gives us the ability to strategically review and analyze the customer’s data, including contact information, browsing and shopping cart data, purchase history and style preferences. This in turn has the effect of lowering our inventory risk and cash needs since we can order and replenish product based on the data from our online sales history, replenish specific inventory by size, color and SKU based on real times sales data, and control our mark-down and promotional strategies versus being told what mark downs and promotions we have to offer by the department stores and boutique retailers. We define “closet share” as the percentage (“share”) of a customer’s clothing units that (“of closet”) she or he owns in her or his closet and the amount of those units that go to the brands that are selling these units. For example, if a customer buys 20 units of clothing a year and the brands that we own represent 10 of those units purchased, then our closet share is 50% of that customer’s closet, or 10 of our branded units divided by 20 units they purchased in entirety. Closet share is a similar concept to the widely used term wallet share, it is just specific to the customer’s closet. The higher our closet share, the higher our revenue as higher closet share suggests the customer is purchasing more of our brands than our competitors. We have strategically expanded into an omnichannel brand offering these styles and content not only on-line but at selected wholesale and retail storefronts. We believe this approach allows us opportunities to successfully drive Lifetime Value (“LTV”) while increasing new customer growth. We define Lifetime Value or LTV as an estimate of the average revenue that a customer will generate throughout their lifespan as our customer. This value/revenue of a customer helps us determine many economic decisions, such as marketing budgets per marketing channel, retention versus acquisition decisions, unit level economics, profitability and revenue forecasting. 39 Table of Contents We acquired Bailey in February 2020, Stateside in August 2021 and Sundry in December 2022. We agreed on the consideration that we paid in each acquisition in the course of arm’s length negotiations with the holders of the membership interests in each of Bailey, H&J, Stateside and Sundry. In determining and negotiating this consideration, we relied on the experience and judgment of our management and our evaluation of the potential synergies that could be achieved in combining the operations of Bailey, Stateside and Sundry. We did not obtain independent valuations, appraisals or fairness opinions to support the consideration that we paid/agreed to pay. Material Trends, Events and Uncertainties COVID-19 After the impact of COVID-19, we have implemented cost controls to reduce discretionary spending to help mitigate the loss of sales and to conserve cash while continuing to support employees. We are also assessing our forward inventory purchase commitments to ensure proper matching of supply and demand, which will result in an overall reduction in future commitments. As we continue to actively monitor the situation, we may take further actions that affect our operations. Supply Chain Disruptions We are subject to global supply chain disruptions, which may include longer lead times for raw fabrics, inbound shipping and longer production times. Supply chain issues have specifically impacted the following for our brands: ● Increased costs in raw materials from fabric prices, which have increased 10% to 100% depending on the fabric, the time of year, and the origin of the fabric, as well as where the fabric is being shipped; ● Increased cost per kilo to ship via sea or air, which has increased from 25% to 300% depending on the time of year and from the country we are shipping from; ● Increased transit time via sea or air, which have increased by two weeks to two months; and ● Increased labor costs for producing the finished goods, which have increased 5% to 25% depending on the country and the labor skill required to produce the goods. We have been able to pass along some of these increased costs and also offset some of these increased costs with higher gross margin online revenue. Seasonality Our quarterly operating results vary due to the seasonality of our individual brands, and are historically stronger in the second half of the calendar year Substantial Indebtedness As of December 31, 2023, we had an aggregate principal amount of debt outstanding of approximately $9.7 million. We believe this is an amount of indebtedness which may be considered significant for a company of our size and current revenue base. Our substantial debt could have important consequences to us. For example, it could: ● make it more difficult for us to satisfy our obligations to the holders of our outstanding debt, resulting in possible defaults on and acceleration of such indebtedness; ● require us to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to make payments on our debt, which would reduce the availability of our cash flows from operations to fund working capital, capital expenditures or other general corporate purposes; 40 Table of Contents ● increase our vulnerability to general adverse economic and industry conditions, including interest rate fluctuations; ● place us at a competitive disadvantage to our competitors with proportionately less debt for their size; ● limit our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness or borrow additional funds in the future; ● limit our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changing conditions in our business; and ● limit our ability to react to competitive pressures or make it difficult for us to carry out capital spending that is necessary or important to our growth strategy. Any of the foregoing impacts of our substantial indebtedness could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. We currently have $3.5 million in notes outstanding pursuant to our Bailey acquisition. We are currently unable to repay or refinance borrowings so any such action by these lenders could force us into bankruptcy or liquidation. In addition, our ability to make scheduled payments on our indebtedness or to refinance our obligations under our debt agreements, will depend on our financial and operating performance, which, in turn, will be subject to prevailing economic and competitive conditions and to the financial and business risk factors we face as described in this section, many of which may be beyond our control. We may not be able to maintain a level of cash flows from operating activities sufficient to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness. If our cash flows and capital resources are insufficient to fund our debt service obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures or planned growth objectives, seek to obtain additional equity capital or restructure our indebtedness. In the future, our cash flows and capital resources may not be sufficient for payments of interest on and principal of our debt, and such alternative measures may not be successful and may not permit us to meet scheduled debt service obligations. In addition, the recent worldwide credit crisis could make it more difficult for us to refinance our indebtedness on favorable terms, or at all. In the absence of such operating results and resources, we may be required to dispose of material assets to meet our debt service obligations. We may not be able to consummate those sales, or, if we do, we will not control the timing of the sales or whether the proceeds that we realize will be adequate to meet debt service obligations when due. Performance Factors We believe that our future performance will depend on many factors, including the following: Ability to Increase Our Customer Base in both Online and Traditional Wholesale Distribution Channels We are currently growing our customer base through both paid and organic online channels, as well as by expanding our presence in a variety of physical retail distribution channels. Online customer acquisitions typically occur at our direct websites for each brand . Our online customer acquisition strategies include paid and unpaid social media, search, display and traditional media. Our products for Bailey, DSTLD and Stateside are also sold through a growing number of physical retail channels, including specialty stores, department stores and online multi-brand platforms. Ability to Acquire Customers at a Reasonable Cost We believe an ability to consistently acquire customers at a reasonable cost relative to customer retention rates, contribution margins and projected life-time value will be a key factor affecting future performance. To accomplish this goal, we intend to balance advertising spend between online and offline channels, as well as cross marketing and cross merchandising our portfolio brands and their respective products. We believe the ability to cross merchandise products and cross market brands, will decrease our customer acquisition costs while increasing the customer’s lifetime value and contribution margin. We will also balance marketing spend with advertising focused on creating emotional brand recognition, which we believe will represent a lower percentage of our spend. 41 Table of Contents Ability to Drive Repeat Purchases and Customer Retention We accrue substantial economic value and margin expansion from customer cohort retention and repeat purchases of our products on an annual basis. Our revenue growth rate and operating margin expansion will be affected by our customer cohort retention rates and the cohorts annual spend for both existing and newly acquired customers. Ability to Expand Our Product Lines Our goal is to expand our product lines over time to increase our growth opportunity. Our customer’s annual spend and brand relevance will be driven by the cadence and success of new product launches. Ability to Expand Gross Margins Our overall profitability will be impacted by our ability to expand gross margins through effective sourcing and leveraging buying power of finished goods and shipping costs, as well as pricing power over time. Ability to Expand Operating Margins Our ability to expand operating margins will be impacted by our ability to leverage (1) fixed general and administrative costs, (2) variable sales and marketing costs, (3) elimination of redundant costs as we acquire and integrate brands, (4) cross marketing and cross merchandising brands in our portfolio, and (4) drive customer retention and customer lifetime value. Our ability to expand operating margins will result from increasing revenue growth above our operating expense growth, as well as increasing gross margins. For example, we anticipate that our operating expenses will increase substantially in the foreseeable future as we undertake the acquisition and integration of different brands, incur expenses associated with maintaining compliance as a public company, and increased marketing and sales efforts to increase our customer base. While we anticipate that the operating expenses in absolute dollars will increase, we do not anticipate that the operating expenses as a percentage of revenue will increase. We anticipate that the operating expenses as a percentage of revenue will decrease as we eliminate duplicative costs across brands including a reduction in similar labor roles, contracts for technologies and operating systems and creating lower costs from higher purchasing power from shipping expenses to purchase orders of products. This reduction of expenses and lower cost per unit due to purchasing power should create meaningful savings in both dollars and as a percentage of revenue. As an example, we were able to eliminate several million in expenses within six months of acquiring Bailey. Examples of these savings include eliminating several Bailey teams, which our teams took over. We merged over half of the technology contracts and operating systems contracts from two brands into one brand contract at significant savings. We also eliminated our office space and rent and moved everyone into the Bailey office space. Finally, we eliminated DSTLD’s third-party logistics company and started using Bailey’s internal logistics. This resulted in an increase in our operating expenses in absolute dollars as there were now two brands versus one brand. However, the operating expenses as a percentage of pre-COVID revenue declined meaningfully and as we increase revenue for each brand, we expect to experience higher margins. Ability to Create Free Cash Flow Our goal is to achieve near term free cash flow through cash flow positive acquisitions, elimination of redundant expenses in acquired companies, increasing customer annual spend and lowering customer acquisition costs through cross merchandising across our brand portfolio. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation Our accounting and reporting policies conform to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). 42 Table of Contents Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Business Acquisitions We record our acquisitions under the acquisition method of accounting, under which most of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are initially recorded at their respective fair values and any excess purchase price is reflected as goodwill. We utilize management estimates and, in some instances, independent third-party valuation firms to assist in determining the fair values of assets acquired, liabilities assumed and contingent consideration, if any. Such estimates and valuations require us to make significant assumptions, including projections of future events and operating performance. The fair value of customer relationships, backlog and trade names/trademarks acquired in our acquisitions are determined using various valuation methods, based on a number of significant assumptions. We determine which assets have finite lives and then determine the estimated useful life of finite assets. The expected useful life of customer relationships is established as three years, which is the period over which these assets are expected to reasonably contribute to future cash flows. We expect to amortize such customer relationships using the straight-line method. The estimated fair values are subject to change during the measurement period, which is limited to one year subsequent to the acquisition date. Revenue Recognition Revenues are recognized when performance obligations are satisfied through the transfer of promised goods to our customers. Control transfers upon shipment of product and when the title has been passed to the customers. This includes the transfer of legal title, physical possession, the risks and rewards of ownership, and customer acceptance. We provide the customer the right of return on the product and revenue is adjusted based on an estimate of the expected returns based on historical rates. We consider the sale of products as a single performance obligation. Sales tax collected from customers and remitted to taxing authorities is excluded from revenue and is included in accrued expenses. Revenue is deferred for orders received for which associated shipments have not occurred. Accounts Receivable and Expected Credit Loss We carry our accounts receivable at invoiced amounts less allowances for customer credit losses and other deductions to present the net amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. All receivables are expected to be collected within one year of the consolidated balance sheet. We do not accrue interest on the trade receivables. Management evaluates the ability to collect accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. Receivables are determined to be past due based on individual credit terms. An allowance for credit losses is maintained based on the length of time receivables are past due, historical collections, or the status of a customer’s financial position. Receivables are written off in the year deemed uncollectible after efforts to collect the receivables have proven unsuccessful. We do not have any off balance sheet cried exposure related to our customers. We periodically review accounts receivable, estimate an allowance for bad debts, and simultaneously record the appropriate expense in the statement of operations. Such estimates are based on general economic conditions, the financial conditions of customers, and the amount and age of past due accounts. Past due accounts are written off against that allowance only after all collection attempts have been exhausted and the prospects for recovery are remote. Recovering of accounts receivable previously written off are recorded as income when received. The Company provides credit to its customers in the normal course of business and has established credit evaluation and monitoring processes to mitigate credit risk. 43 Table of Contents Goodwill Impairment We are required to assess our goodwill for impairment at least annually for each reporting unit that carries goodwill. We may elect to first do a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is in excess of its carrying value. If the qualitative assessment concludes that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, a quantitative assessment is performed. If the fair value is determined to be less than its carrying value, we record goodwill impairment equal to the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. Intangible Assets Impairment We evaluate the carrying amount of intangible assets and other long-lived assets for impairment whenever indicators of impairment exist. We test these assets for recoverability by comparing the net carrying amount of the asset or asset group to the undiscounted net cash flows to be generated from the use and eventual disposition of that asset or asset group. If the assets are recoverable, an impairment loss does not exist, and no loss is recorded. If the carrying amounts of the assets are not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized for any deficiency of the asset or asset group’s fair value compared to their carrying amount. Although we base cash flow forecasts on assumptions that are consistent with plans and estimates we use to manage our business, there is significant judgment in determining the cash flows attributable to these assets, including markets and market share, sales volumes and mix, and working capital changes. Financial Statement Components Bailey Net Revenue Bailey sells its products directly to customers. Bailey also sells its products indirectly through wholesale channels that include third-party online channels and physical channels such as specialty retailers and department stores. Cost of Net Revenue Bailey’s cost of net revenue includes the direct cost of purchased and manufactured merchandise; inventory shrinkage; inventory adjustments due to obsolescence including excess and slow-moving inventory and lower of cost and net realizable reserves; duties; and inbound freight. Cost of net revenue also includes direct labor to production activities such as pattern makers, cutters and sewers. Cost of net revenue includes an allocation of overheard costs such as rent, utilities and commercial insurance pertaining to direct inventory activities. Operating Expenses Bailey’s operating expenses include all operating costs not included in cost of net revenues and sales and marketing. These costs consist of general and administrative, fulfillment and shipping expense to the customer. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of all payroll and payroll-related expenses, professional fees, insurance, software costs, occupancy expenses related to Bailey’s operations at its headquarters, including utilities, depreciation and amortization, and other costs related to the administration of its business. Bailey’s fulfillment and shipping expenses include the cost to operate its warehouse including occupancy and labor costs to pick and pack customer orders and any return orders; packaging; and shipping costs to the customer from the warehouse and any returns from the customer to the warehouse. Sales & Marketing Bailey’s sales and marketing expense primarily includes digital advertising; photo shoots for wholesale and direct-to-consumer communications, including email, social media and digital advertisements; and commission expenses associated with sales representatives. 44 Table of Contents Interest Expense Bailey’s interest expense consists primarily of interest related to its outstanding debt to our senior lender. DBG Net Revenue We sell our products to our customers directly through our website. In those cases, sales, net represents total sales less returns, promotions and discounts. Cost of Net Revenue Cost of net revenue include direct cost of purchased merchandise; inventory shrinkage; inventory adjustments due to obsolescence, including excess and slow-moving inventory and lower of cost and net realizable reserves. Operating Expenses Our operating expenses include all operating costs not included in cost of net revenues. These costs consist of general and administrative, sales and marketing, and fulfillment and shipping expense to the customer. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of all payroll and payroll-related expenses, professional fees, insurance, software costs, and expenses related to our operations at our headquarters, including utilities, depreciation and amortization, and other costs related to the administration of our business. We expect to continue to incur additional expenses as a result of operating as a public company, including costs to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to companies listed on a national securities exchange, costs related to compliance and reporting obligations pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC and higher expenses for insurance, investor relations and professional services. We expect these costs will increase our operating costs. Fulfillment and shipping expenses include the cost to operate our warehouse — or prior to Bailey 44 acquisition, costs paid to our third-party logistics provider — including occupancy and labor costs to pick and pack customer orders and any return orders; packaging; and shipping costs to the customer from the warehouse and any returns from the customer to the warehouse. In addition, going forward, the amortization of the identifiable intangibles acquired in the acquisitions will be included in operating expenses. Interest Expense Interest expense consists primarily of interest related to our debt outstanding to our senior lender, convertible debt, and other interest bearing liabilities. Stateside Net Revenue Stateside sells its products directly to customers. Stateside also sells its products indirectly through wholesale channels that include third-party online channels and physical channels such as specialty retailers and department stores. Cost of Net Revenue Stateside’s cost of net revenue includes the direct cost of purchased and manufactured merchandise; inventory shrinkage; inventory adjustments due to obsolescence including excess and slow-moving inventory and lower of cost and net realizable reserves; duties; and inbound freight. Cost of net revenue also includes direct labor to production activities such as pattern makers, cutters and sewers. Cost 45 Table of Contents of net revenue includes an allocation of overheard costs such as rent, utilities and commercial insurance pertaining to direct inventory activities. Operating Expenses Stateside’s operating expenses include all operating costs not included in cost of net revenues and sales and marketing. These costs consist of general and administrative, fulfillment and shipping expense to the customer. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of all payroll and payroll-related expenses, professional fees, insurance, software costs, occupancy expenses related to Stateside’s stores and to Stateside’s operations at its headquarters, including utilities, depreciation and amortization, and other costs related to the administration of its business. Stateside’s fulfillment and shipping expenses include the cost to operate its warehouse including occupancy and labor costs to pick and pack customer orders and any return orders; packaging; and shipping costs to the customer from the warehouse and any returns from the customer to the warehouse. Sales & Marketing Stateside’s sales and marketing expense primarily includes digital advertising; photo shoots for wholesale and direct-to-consumer communications, including email, social media and digital advertisements; and commission expenses associated with sales representatives. Sundry Net Revenue Sundry sells its products directly to customers. Sundry also sells its products indirectly through wholesale channels that include third-party online channels and physical channels such as specialty retailers and department stores. Cost of Net Revenue Sundry’s cost of net revenue includes the direct cost of purchased and manufactured merchandise; inventory shrinkage; inventory adjustments due to obsolescence including excess and slow-moving inventory and lower of cost and net realizable reserves; duties; and inbound freight. Cost of net revenue also includes direct labor to production activities such as pattern makers, cutters and sewers. Cost of net revenue includes an allocation of overheard costs such as rent, utilities and commercial insurance pertaining to direct inventory activities. Operating Expenses Sundry’s operating expenses include all operating costs not included in cost of net revenues and sales and marketing. These costs consist of general and administrative, fulfillment and shipping expense to the customer. General and administrative expenses consist primarily of all payroll and payroll-related expenses, professional fees, insurance, software costs, occupancy expenses related to Sundry’s stores and to Sundry’s operations at its headquarters, including utilities, depreciation and amortization, and other costs related to the administration of its business. Sundry’s fulfillment and shipping expenses include the cost to operate its warehouse including occupancy and labor costs to pick and pack customer orders and any return orders; packaging; and shipping costs to the customer from the warehouse and any returns from the customer to the warehouse. 46 Table of Contents Sales and Marketing Sundry’s sales and marketing expense primarily includes digital advertising; photo shoots for wholesale and direct-to-consumer communications, including email, social media and digital advertisements; and commission expenses associated with sales representatives. Results of Operations Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to year ended December 31, 2022 The following table presents our results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Year Ended ​ ​ December 31, ​ ​ 2023 2022 Net revenues ​ $ 14,916,422 ​ $ 13,971,178 Cost of net revenues ​ 8,372,642 ​ 8,030,908 Gross profit ​ 6,543,780 ​ 5,940,270 General and administrative ​ ​ 14,299,389 ​ ​ 16,371,536 Sales and marketing ​ ​ 4,035,835 ​ ​ 4,950,635 Impairment ​ ​ — ​ ​ 15,539,332 Other operating expenses ​ ​ (9,696,132) ​ ​ 1,175,872 Loss from Operations ​ (2,095,312) ​ (32,097,105) Other expenses ​ (6,221,284) ​ (5,946,257) Loss before provision for income taxes ​ (8,316,596) ​ (38,043,362) Provision for income taxes ​ (368,034) ​ — Net loss from continuing operations ​ ​ (8,684,630) ​ ​ (38,043,362) (Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax ​ ​ (1,562,503) ​ ​ — Net loss ​ $ (10,247,133) ​ $ (38,043,362) ​ Net Revenues Net revenues increased by $0.9 million to $14.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023, compared to $14.0 million in the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. The increase was primarily due to full results in 2023 pertaining to the acquisition of Sundry in December 2022. Gross Profit Our gross profit increased by $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $6.5 million from $5.9 million for the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. The increase in gross margin was primarily attributable to increased revenue in 2023 and the gross profit achieved by Sundry since the acquisition. Our gross margin was 43.9% for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to 42.5% for year ended December 31, 2022. The increase in gross margin was due to a shift in sales mix towards e-commerce, led by the Sundry business, which is able to achieve higher margins than wholesale. General and Administrative Expenses General and administrative expenses decreased by $2.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $14.3 million compared to $16.4 million in 2022. The decrease in general and administrative expenses was primarily due to lower consulting and professional fees, as well as other cost cutting measures across our company, as all brands achieved operational synergies in 2023. General and administrative expenses as a percentage of revenue was 95% in 2023 as compared to 117% in 2022. 47 Table of Contents Sales and Marketing Expenses Sales and marketing expenses decreased by $0.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 to $4.0 million compared to $4.9 million in 2022. The decrease in sales and marketing expenses was primarily due to decreased spending on advertising and other cost-cutting marketing efforts. Sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of revenue was 27% in 2023 as compared to 35% in 2022. Other Operating Expenses Other operating expenses included distribution expenses, impairment and change in fair value of contingent consideration. Other operating expenses represented a gain of $9.7 million in 2023 as compared to $16.7 million in 2022, a decrease in expenses of $10.9 million. In 2022, there were $15.5 million in impairment charges on Bailey’s and Harper’s goodwill and intangible assets. In 2023, the Company recorded a $10.7 million increase in the change in fair value of contingent consideration pertaining to the Norwest waiver for Bailey and H&J Settlement. Other Expenses Other expenses increased by $0.3 million to $6.2 million in the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to $5.9 million in the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. The increase in other expenses in 2023 was primarily due to $1.4 million on loss on extinguishment of debt in 2023 and the change in fair value of derivative liability, partially offset by PPP forgiveness. Net Loss from Continuing Operations Our net loss from continuing operations decreased by $29.3 million to a loss of $8.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to a loss of $38.0 million for the corresponding fiscal period in 2022 primarily due to the impairment, change in fair value of contingent consideration and higher gross profit. Liquidity and Capital Resources Each of DBG, Bailey, Stateside and Sundry has historically satisfied our liquidity needs and funded operations with borrowings capital raises and internally generated cash flow, Changes in working capital, most notably accounts receivable, are driven primarily by levels of business activity. Historically each of DBG, Bailey, Stateside and Sundry has maintained credit line facilities to support such working capital needs and makes repayments on that facility with excess cash flow from operations. As of December 31, 2023, we had cash of $20,773, but we had a working capital deficit of $17,655,720. The Company requires significant capital to meet its obligations as they become due. These factors raise substantial doubt about our Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Throughout the next twelve months, the Company intends to fund its operations primarily from the funds raised through the equity line of credit agreement. The Company may pursue secondary offerings or debt financings to provide working capital and satisfy debt obligations. There can be no assurance as to the availability or terms upon which such financing and capital might be available in the future. If the Company is unable to secure additional funding, it may be forced to curtail or suspend its business plans. The report of our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ended December 31, 2023 included herein contains an explanatory paragraph indicating that there is substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern as a result of recurring losses from operations. 48 Table of Contents Cash Flow Activities The following table presents selected captions from our condensed statement of cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Year Ended ​ ​ December 31, ​ ​ 2023 2022 Net loss ​ $ (10,247,133) ​ $ (38,043,363) Non-cash adjustments ​ $ 1,364,216 ​ $ 23,122,024 Change in operating assets and liabilities ​ $ 2,869,975 ​ $ 4,350,445 Net cash used in operating activities ​ $ (6,012,942) ​ $ (10,570,889) Net cash provided by investing activities ​ $ 88,819 ​ $ (7,313,384) Net cash provided by financing activities ​ $ 4,661,614 ​ $ 18,639,161 Net change in cash ​ $ (1,254,843) ​ $ 747,221 ​ Cash Flows Used In Operating Activities Our cash used in operating activities decreased by $4.6 million to $6.0 million to cash used for the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to cash used of $10.6 million for the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. The decrease in net cash used in operating activities was primarily driven by a lower net loss in 2023, partially offset by a decrease in non-cash adjustments of $21.8 million and more cash provided by changes in our operating assets and liabilities in 2022. Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities Our cash provided by investing activities was $0.1 million in the year ended December 31, 2023 as compared to cash used of $7.3 million for the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. Cash provided in 2023 was primarily due to a reduction of deposits, partially offset by purchase of property. Cash Flows Provided by Financing Activities Cash provided by financing activities was $4.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2023 compared to cash provided of $18.6 million for the corresponding fiscal period in 2022. Cash inflows in 2023 included $8.1 million in equity proceeds after offering costs, $1.2 million in proceeds from the exercise of warrants, $5.4 million from the issuance of notes, loans and merchant advances, partially offset by note, loan and merchant advance repayments of 10.1 million. Cash inflows in 2022 were primarily related to $16.4 million in equity proceeds after offering costs, $10.2 million from convertible notes and loans, partially offset by note repayments of $7.4 million. Contractual Obligations and Commitments As of December 31, 2023, we have $9.7 million in outstanding principal on debt, primarily our promissory notes due to the Bailey44 Sellers, the March 2023 Notes, PPP and merchant advances. Aside from our remaining non-current SBA obligations, all outstanding loans have maturity dates through 2024. Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Future Commitments We have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources that is material to investors. ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK Not applicable. 49 Table of Contents ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA The information required by this item may be found on pages F-1 through F-36 of this annual report on Form 10-K. ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE None.