Despite all the hoopla over D2C brands, retail sales of clothing fell 24%, the worst month since the recession of 2008.

It just announced Personal Shopper by Prime Wardrobe -- which, like Stitch Fix, sends subscribers a curated box of clothing choices every month.

"We were spending $180 a month or so on diapers, which seemed nuts. And the subscription model made sense," says Abby & Finn cofounder.

"Earned media and public relations coverage is more influential for D2C brands," says Satya Menon, managing partner, ROI Practice, Kantar.

Many D2C brands succeed because they help eliminate the pain points or friction that behavioral economists simply call sludge.

Founded in 2011, mattress seller Saatva is not only a long-term survivor, it's profitable.

Airbnb announced a dramatic increase in its luxury travel offerings -- and a campaign to "bridge generational divides within the LGBTQ+ community."

"We believe the most successful D2C brands are ones that offer the most disruption vs. the status quo," says one report.

Does opening more stores -- which usually means sinking considerable cash into pricey rents, long-term leases and inventory -- make financial sense?

And yes, they've noticed those radically outsized budgets make profits (ostensibly, the reason companies are in business) kind of impossible.