Fashion People: Episode Summary - "Content + Commerce: A Love Story"

Release Date: June 13, 2025

Host: Lauren Sherman
Guests: Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, Co-Founders of 831 Stories

1. Introduction

Lauren Sherman opens the episode by welcoming listeners to Fashion People, a podcast that delves into the behind-the-scenes conversations shaping the multi-trillion-dollar fashion industry. She introduces her guests, Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo, co-founders of 831 Stories, setting the stage for an in-depth discussion on the interplay between content and commerce.

2. Background of Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo

Lauren shares her long-standing friendship and professional relationship with Claire and Erica, highlighting their decade-long podcast “A Thing or Two” and their expertise in blending content with commerce.

Lauren Sherman [09:07]:
"We have podcasted together many times before and they are experts on something a lot of people try to get right but rarely do, which is figuring out how to create digital content that gets people to buy physical stuff."

3. Content and Commerce: The Relationship

The conversation centers on how content can effectively drive commerce. Lauren points out that many companies struggle to integrate storytelling with sales, but Claire and Erica have successfully navigated this challenge with their ventures.

Lauren Sherman [21:08]:
"I think that a lot of people who want to make money by telling stories in a meaningful way don't understand that it might not be a direct conversion."

4. The Story of Of a Kind

Claire and Erica discuss their previous venture, Of a Kind, which merged storytelling with product sales. Launched in 2010, Of a Kind featured limited-edition pieces from emerging designers, accompanied by compelling narratives to foster an emotional connection with customers.

Erica Cerulo [12:21]:
"The idea was that we would sell pieces from emerging designers and tell their stories. And it was just as designers started to move online, we wanted to preserve that emotional attachment."

5. Lessons Learned from Of a Kind

The founders reflect on the successes and challenges of Of a Kind. They highlight how storytelling not only enhanced customer engagement but also increased the perceived value of products, allowing for higher markups and stronger designer partnerships.

Erica Cerulo [16:34]:
"Because we were doing this kind of content marketing that really told the designer stories, we were able to leverage that when we were making deals with designers."

They also note the importance of building a loyal and engaged audience, even if not all followers directly convert to sales.

6. Transition to 831 Stories

Building on their experience with Of a Kind, Claire and Erica introduce their current venture, 831 Stories, which operates in the romance novel space. Unlike Of a Kind, where products served as the primary driver, 831 Stories places storytelling at the forefront, with products acting as supplementary elements.

Erica Cerulo [24:05]:
"831 Stories sort of flips the model of what we did at Of a Kind. Now the foundation of the business is publishing romance novellas, and building out the worlds from there in ways that include additional content and products."

7. Strategy Behind 831 Stories

The founders explain how 831 Stories leverages romance novellas to create immersive worlds that encourage fan engagement. Each novella is complemented by curated merchandise that aligns with the story's themes and characters, fostering a deeper connection with readers.

Erica Cerulo [25:33]:
"We worked with designers on products like necklaces and T-shirts that are directly inspired by elements within the books, making them feel like authentic extensions of the story."

They emphasize the importance of high-quality design in merchandise to avoid alienating existing fans and to attract new ones who might previously have dismissed the romance genre.

8. Designing Merchandise with Purpose

Claire and Erica discuss their collaboration with the design firm C47, highlighting how thoughtful, trope-based merchandise resonates with fans. By aligning products with common romance tropes, they create items that fans feel personally connected to.

Erica Cerulo [27:19]:
"We started selling trope merch because tropes are the zodiac of the romance genre. People know their preferred tropes, and wearing them makes them feel seen."

They highlight products like hats with specific tropes (e.g., "enemies to lovers") that have become popular and even sought after by other retailers.

9. Flywheel Effect and Diversification

The discussion moves to the concept of the flywheel effect, where various elements of the business reinforce each other. In 831 Stories, the publication of books drives merchandise sales, which in turn attracts more readers and creates a loyal fan base.

Lauren Sherman [37:32]:
"You understand that producing stories creates a loyal audience that engages with all aspects of your business, from books to merchandise."

Claire and Erica also underline the importance of diversified revenue streams, which provide stability and allow the business to adapt to changing market conditions.

Erica Cerulo [36:54]:
"Having diversified revenue streams can offer a business to turn something up and turn something else down when ad sales are dropping or due to seasonality."

10. Conclusion

Lauren praises the founders for their holistic and pragmatic approach to integrating content with commerce, suggesting that their model could serve as a benchmark for other businesses. The episode concludes with acknowledgments and thanks to the production team.

Lauren Sherman [38:47]:
"You understand that you go on LinkedIn and half the bio say storyteller. And it is actually really important to be able to tell stories. You all understand a very practical and pragmatic way of looking at all of this that I think is really exciting and can be applied across a lot of different kinds of businesses."

Notable Quotes:

• Lauren Sherman [21:08]:
  "I think that a lot of people who want to make money by telling stories in a meaningful way don't understand that it might not be a direct conversion."

• Erica Cerulo [16:34]:
  "Because we were doing this kind of content marketing that really told the designer stories, we were able to leverage that when we were making deals with designers."

• Erica Cerulo [27:19]:
  "We started selling trope merch because tropes are the zodiac of the romance genre. People know their preferred tropes, and wearing them makes them feel seen."

• Lauren Sherman [38:47]:
  "It is actually really important to be able to tell stories. You all understand a very practical and pragmatic way of looking at all of this that I think is really exciting and can be applied across a lot of different kinds of businesses."

This episode of Fashion People offers valuable insights into the symbiotic relationship between content and commerce, illustrated through the experiences of Claire Mazur and Erica Cerulo. Their journey from Of a Kind to 831 Stories exemplifies how storytelling can not only enhance brand identity but also drive sustained commercial success.