SSENSE Review: Luxury fashion & independent designers

About SSENSE

SSENSE is a high-end ecommerce fashion retailer that offers a mix of luxury, streetwear, and avant-garde labels to women and men all over the world. The brand has a solid Instagram presence with 883k followers and has been featured in media including Medium, Canada NewsWire, CTV News, and Flare.

This SSENSE clothing review will take an in-depth look at the brand and its products, customer ratings, promotions, and more, to help you decide if their products are worth the buy.

Overview of SSENSE

SSENSE is a Montreal-based fashion platform with global reach. Founded in 2003, SSENSE clothing features luxury, streetwear, and avant-garde labels. They produce industry-leading original content and take pride in building their own technology solutions and systems from scratch.

The company’s focus has grown beyond that of a typical ecommerce entity as they explore the relationship between content, commerce, and culture. SSENSE serves 150 countries, generates an average of 76 million monthly page views, and has achieved high double-digit annual growth since inception.

While SSENSE has achieved a lot in its 17 year history including a strong customer base and huge product line, there are also some downsides to the brand. We want to be honest in this SSENSE clothing review, so take a look at these pros and cons:

Pros

• Products from over 400 designers
• Wishlist functionality to browse, save favorites, and buy later
• Lower prices than other premium retailers
• Hundreds of items on sale

Cons

• Customers report slow or no customer service, inconsistent shipping times, and a long returns process
  Next up in this SSENSE clothing review, we’ll showcase some of their trending pieces for men and women. Get ready for some serious urban style.

SSENSE Men

SSENSE offers a huge variety of fashion pieces for men including:

• SSENSE Accessories: belts & suspenders, blankets, dog accessories, eyewear, gloves, hats, jewelry, keychains, pocket squares & tie bars, scarves, socks, souvenirs, tech, ties, towels, umbrellas, wallets & card holders, and watches
• SSENSE Bags: backpacks, briefcases, duffle bags, messenger bags, pouches & document holders, tote bags, and travel bags
• SSENSE Clothing: jackets & coats, jeans, pants, shirts, shorts, suits & blazers, sweaters, swimwear, tops, and underwear & loungewear
• SSENSE Shoes: boat shoes & moccasins, boots, espadrilles, lace ups, loafers, monkstraps, sandals, and sneakers

You’ll notice the trendy, sleek styles are great for both casual and formal situations. As part of this SSENSE clothing review, we’re providing some of the more popular, trending items (and, luckily, they’re all on sale!)

White Airport Tape Long Sleeve T-Shirt by Off-White

This long-sleeve tee by Off-White has some chill travel vibes: check out CABIN BAGGAGE tape design on the sleeves and back. The White Airport Tape Long Sleeve T-Shirt features comfortable jersey cotton, a rib knit crewneck collar, and cuffs. It’s a level up from the plain white tee, and just as casual. It’s cool without trying too hard.

The White Airport Tape Long Sleeve T-Shirt is for lounging—at home, at the gate before you catch your next flight, wherever. Anywhere casual is the dress code. This Off-White tee retails at $168, originally $358.

Beige Check George Shirt by Burberry

You can never go wrong with classic Burberry: the beige/camel shirt features their signature check pattern in white, red, and black, with a spread collar and a button closure in front. The look of the Beige Check George Shirt is elevated by two-button barrel cuffs, a shirttail hem, and logo-engraved tonal hardware.

This is a smart look to meet your girl’s parents, hit up a nice restaurant, or a luxury pop-up event. The camel long sleeve stretch cotton has a loose and airy fit, so you’ll still be comfortable while repping the suave gentleman. The Beige Check George Shirt by Burberry currently goes for $264, marked down from $292.

Beige Bicolor Classic Card Holder by Maison Margiela

Why go with the same black leather wallet that every guy has? This Maison Margiela card holder has 6 card slots, so no bulky pants pocket—just carry the essentials. The buffed leather Beige Bicolor Classic Card Holder has a polished look to it on the front cover, featuring Maison Margiela’s classy gold-tone logo.

Flip the holder, and the cream-colored back face has white stitching for an extra design element. Inside you’ll find a nice black leather lining. The Beige Bicolor Classic Card Holder by Maison Margiela measures 4” long x 3.25” high. Its neutral color and size goes with nearly everything, day or night. Get this Maison Margiela wallet for $105, marked down from $234.

Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 Sneakers

You can hit the courts or the track in style with these striking low-top sneakers. These trendy Nike sneaks combine red/orange with silver in a breathable all-mesh upper. The Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 Sneakers are built with a treaded rubber outsole to absorb ground shock, paired with a comfortable round toe.

The athletic look of these Nike sneakers is souped up and stylized by a faux-leather trim, rubberized signature Swoosh appliqué and cut-out detailing on the sides. Make these running shoes stand out with a neutral outfit or make a statement with matching orange and black workout gear. The Air Zoom Spiridon Cage 2 Sneakers are on sale for $104, regular price $135.

SSENSE Women

Just like their men’s products, SSENSE offers women trendy, sleek styles that are great for both casual and dressier events. SSENSE offers a wide array of women’s fashion pieces, including:

• SSENSE Accessories: bag accessories, belts & suspenders, blankets, cosmetic cases, dog accessories, eyewear, fine jewelry, gloves, hats, jewelry, keychains, scarves, socks, tech, towels, umbrellas, wallets & card holders, and watches
• SSENSE Bags: backpacks, clutches & pouches, duffle & top handle bags, messenger bags & satchels, shoulder bags, tote bags, and travel bags
• SSENSE Clothing: activewear, dresses, jackets & coats, jeans, jumpsuits, lingerie, pants, shorts, skirts, sweaters, swimwear, and tops
• SSENSE Shoes: boots, flats, heels, sandals, and sneakers

Below, in this SSENSE clothing review, we’re providing examples of some of the best-selling, trending items for women.

Nike White Sportswear Essential Tank Top

You’ll work out in style with this basic, trendy Nike White Sportswear Essential Tank Top. This jersey tank top features a comfortable, stretchy 71% cotton and 29% polyester blend, with a square neck collar and classic Nike Swoosh at the front.

Nike’s products tend to last a long time and this one is versatile: you can easily go straight to apres-gym activities in the White Sportswear Essential Tank Top, like that post-workout smoothie with your buds. You can grab this neutral tank for $26.

Nike Grey Leg-A-See Bike Shorts

These Nike Grey Leg-A-See Bike Shorts in are great not just for biking, but for exercise of any sort, whether you’re hiking, running or just walking the dog on a summer evening. These Nike bike shorts feature an oh-so-comfy stretch cotton and jersey blend.

The Nike Grey Leg-A-See Bike Shorts have a high-rise, elasticized waist with overlock stitching throughout, plus the iconic Nike Swoosh embroidered in black at the cuff. These comfy bike shorts retail for $37.

Laura Lombardi Gold Fede Necklace

This Laura Lombardi chain-link necklace is stunning. The Gold Fede Necklace in 14k gold-plated brass features hinged ring fastenings and is about 14″ long, close to choker length.

It’s a glam, timeless look that you can wear to the office, paired with a classic, dark suit, or for a night out, with a little black dress. The Lombardi Gold Fede Necklace can be yours for $190.

Gold DiorStellaire04 Glasses

These funky, gold-tone, hexagonal metal-frame Gold DiorStellaire04 Glasses have transparent rubber-covered metal nose pads, so comfort doesn’t come at the cost of style. The Dior logo is engraved at the bridge and hinges for a touch of elegance. These specs come with a leather case, magnetic tab fastening included.

You’ll definitely pull off urban chic with these unique specs which go well with any outfit, from jeans on a patio to a business-casual dress in the boardroom. These Gold DiorStellaire04 Glasses retail for $339.

Next up in this SSENSE review, we’ll get into what their customers think of them.

SSENSE Clothing Reviews: What Do Customers Think?

In conducting this SSENSE clothing review, we found that the brand has mixed, just above average reviews and ranks 9th among designer clothes sites, according to SiteJabber, with 3.66/5-stars based on 854 reviews (3.66/5 stars). This contrasts with higher reviews from TrustPilot, which gives SSENSE 4.5/5 stars, based on 26,641 SSENSE reviews. It makes sense for the TrustPilot ratings to carry more weight, since it features a larger sample of customers.

Some customers indicated shipping was quicker than expected (in some cases, orders arrived a day earlier than quoted), while others experienced slower than expected shipping times. Customer service was the most common poorly rated issue, falling below expectations of some customers with indications that response times were slow.

One SSENSE clothing review on TrustPilot stated, I have been trying to return my Off-White shoes since January. I received a shipping label months later. I shipped the shoes almost two months ago and now have no response. I have emailed multiple times to check in for my return and received NOTHING.

Of course, this varies by customer and situation, as this TrustPilot SSENSE clothing review indicates: They sent me the item in two days with fast DHL delivery. When I received the item the shape of the bag was kind of off. It was a Jacquemus straw bag. Straw bags are imperfect. It is how they are and that makes them unique, so it was not SSENSE’s fault… I got a reply back in a couple hours. I returned the item and ordered another one meanwhile because exchange was not available. And like the customer specialist promised me the one I received was in a way better shape.

Is SSENSE Clothing Worth It?

In this SSENSE clothing review, we provide our impression on SSENSE and whether or not they’re worthwhile to shop at. Based on the research we conducted, buying from SSENSE is a pretty safe bet. It’s important to note that many more reviewers were satisfied with their SSENSE clothing compared to those who were not.

If you’re looking for fashion items from luxury, street, or avant-garde labels, SSENSE provides a varied collection at a lower cost compared to retailers or from brands directly.

Even the most reputable and trustworthy brands will have some negative reviews. There is a chance that you’ll have one of the issues that customers complained about, but it’s more likely that you’ll be happy shopping with SSENSE.

SSENSE Promotions & Discounts

This SSENSE clothing review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning promotions and discounts. Although there was no SSENSE promo code or SSENSE discount code available when conducting this SSENSE review, we found that SSENSE offers some deals to its customers.

In Canada, you can get free shipping on orders over $100 and free returns on all orders. Plus, right now, there are also hundreds of sale items at up to 70% off for both women and men.

Where to Buy SSENSE

You can buy SSENSE products directly from their site, SSENSE.com, and some limited products are available through other retailers like Amazon.

FAQ

Our SSENSE clothing review comes with answers to some frequently asked questions:

Why Is SSENSE So Cheap?

We did a little digging and found out the reason SSENSE can offer products at such deep discounts is because they’re an online marketplace that buys from boutiques and brands across the internet. Pricing is set by the online retailer the goods come from, many of which sell similar items which creates competition and drives prices down.

Are SSENSE Products Authentic?

SSENSE points out that, as an established and trusted online retailer of luxury brands, all of their merchandise is backed by their Authenticity Guarantee. They receive all merchandise directly from suppliers and, depending on the designer, items might come with a proof of authenticity (e.g. dust bag, original box, certificate of authenticity). Plus, for quality assurance, all products are carefully inspected before shipment.

SSENSE Shipping Policy

Domestic Shipping (Within Canada)

In Canada, you’ll get free standard shipping on orders over $100 (or it’s $7-$10 for Priority Shipping, depending on your province). For orders under $100, Standard Shipping is $5-$8 depending on your province (or $7 for Priority Shipping).

International Shipping

In the US, shipping is free on orders over $300, and it’s $12 for orders under $300. SSENSE also ships to over 40 other countries and regions. International costs start at about $20 and orders take about 2-5 business days.

Order Processing

Up to 2 business days processing time is required before the order gets shipped out (this may be longer during peak periods). Orders placed after 11:00 AM (EST) may be processed the next business day, and orders placed on weekends and holidays will be processed the following business day starting at 8:00 AM (EST).

Once your order is placed, you’ll receive an email confirmation, including your order number, and when the order has shipped you’ll get an email with your shipment’s tracking information. You can use SSENSE’s self-serve tools, ssense.com/en-ca/account/login, to track your order status at any time.

SSENSE Return Policy

Free return shipping is offered to customers located in Canada, the United States and Japan, with the exception of Final Sale items. To return one or more items from an order:

• The return must be requested within 30 days of the delivery date
• The item must be in its original, unused, unaltered and unwashed condition
• The item must be returned with the tags and packaging in their original condition

SSENSE will begin the return process within 5 business days of receiving your returned package.

You can initiate returns by submitting a request for a Return Authorization through your SSENSE account using the self-serve tools, ssense.com/en-ca/account/login, or you can contact the Customer Care team to assist you with the process. If you placed your order under a guest checkout option, you’ll need to create an account to request and manage the return yourself.

SSENSE has a no-paper policy to reduce waste, so shipments don’t come with a return slip. As well, SSENSE does not process exchanges; instead, you need to return the merchandise for a refund and place a new order for your new item(s).

Order Modification & Cancellation

You can modify or cancel an order as long as the merchandise has not yet entered the packaging or shipment phases. To modify or cancel your order:

• Log in to your SSENSE account
• Click on the Order History tab on the left-hand side
• Under Modify, select the subject of your request
• Fill out the contact form and send SSENSE your request
• If you do not have an SSENSE account and would like to make changes to an existing order, contact Customer Care anytime.