A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a screenshot of a refund from PhoebePhilo.com that had just appeared on her credit card statement. The multiple items she purchased, which cost thousands of dollars, were returned last fall, shortly after the brand had launched in October. I asked a number of other people who had also returned things, and their own experiences were mixed. Some received their money within 10 days, others not so much. 

The feedback, in some ways, highlighted the often totally unfair challenge facing Phoebe Philo, a startup brand founded by a world-famous designer. On some level, who cares if a refund takes months, not weeks: That’s typical startup stuff. The rollout of the British designer’s namesake line, following a tortured two-year development process, hasn’t been that much more dysfunctional than other newly launched companies, which are generally riddled with logistics muck-ups, frustrating customer service interactions, and wonky U.X. design. It’s just that most fashion startups can’t feel the weight of the industry on their shoulders. They don’t have a famous founder, and they aren’t backed by LVMH.