SandiLake Clothing Update | Shark Tank Season 8

Melissa Lay saw a gap in the market when she noticed that most clothing options for young children were either too gender-specific or limited in style. To address this, she created a unisex clothing line that offered more inclusive options. But when she discovered that Target was selling one of her designs without permission, she faced a tough lesson about the challenges of protecting her work as a small business owner. Will the sharks back her vision? Find out in our SandiLake Clothing update and pitch recap.

If you’re short on time, here’s a quick overview of what happened to SandiLake Clothing after Shark Tank.

Melissa entered Shark Tank Season 8, seeking $100,000 for 10% equity in her fashion business. Ultimately, she left without securing a deal with any of the sharks.

In terms of a SandiLake Clothing update, the company rebranded to Allmade Apparel. They expanded their product line and have grown to over $1 million in annual revenue.

Shark	Result
Lori Greiner	No Offer
Kevin O’Leary	No Offer
Barbara Corcoran	No Offer
Mark Cuban	No Offer
Robert Herjavec	No Offer

Shark Tank SandiLake Clothing Pitch

• Entrepreneur: Melissa Lay
• Business: Hand-printed custom-designed unisex toddler shirts
• Ask: $100,000 for 10% equity
• Result: No deal
• Sharks: None

Melissa entered Shark Tank with her two young daughters, ready to pitch her company, SandiLake Clothing.

She began by sharing the inspiration behind her unisex clothing line, which was born from the need for more inclusive and stylish options for young children.

Although the brand had already gained significant attention and sales, Melissa was seeking an investment to scale production and expand into new markets.

With the backing of a shark, she hoped to transform SandiLake from a small operation into a major player in the competitive clothing industry.

SandiLake Clothing is a unique kids’ fashion line that offers vibrant, unisex clothing.

Unlike traditional market offerings that stick to blue for boys and pink for girls, SandiLake focuses on diverse, eye-catching designs that appeal to all lifestyles.

The collection includes trendy t-shirts, tops, jerseys, hoodies, and more, featuring bold graphics and fun, feel-good messages like “Fun is Free” and “Stay Wild.”

What sets SandiLake apart is its commitment to creativity, offering designs with flags, witty slogans, and playful illustrations that are often missing in kids’ apparel.

The brand caters to more than just children. There are also clothing options for moms, dads, and siblings. This makes it a versatile choice for parents seeking fun outfits for the whole family.

Melissa then shared with the sharks the story of how she went viral the year prior after accusing Target of stealing her design.

Despite the attention and $340,000 in sales over two years, the sharks were less impressed when she shared her current numbers. She had only made $67,000 in sales so far that year.

After hearing about her declining sales, Kevin O’Leary, Mark Cuban, and Robert Herjavec all decided to exit the negotiations. This left just Barbara Corcoran and Lori Greiner.

Barbara referred to Melissa’s huge surge in sales following her viral Target moment as a “lucky charm.” She added that Melissa was “on track to something bigger.”

Barbara then offered $100,000 for 40% equity. The condition was that Melissa would sell half of the shares to Grace and Lace, another Shark Tank company.

At this point, Lori Greiner attempted to step in. However, Barbara warned Melissa that if she listened to Lori, she would drop her offer immediately.

True to her word, Barbara did just that. Although Melissa didn’t secure a deal, she walked away with something else.

Lori chose not to invest but offered valuable advice. She suggested that Melissa try growing her business independently.

Now, let’s see how Melissa was able to steer her business in our SandiLake Clothing update despite being rejected by the sharks.

Shark Tank Sandilake Clothing Update

After her Shark Tank appearance, Melissa opened a retail store in Portland, Oregon.

Our SandiLake Clothing update found that in early 2019, she sold SandiLake Clothing to an undisclosed buyer in Florida.

By August of the same year, she bought the company back and rebranded it as Allmade Apparel.

To maintain a work-life balance, Melissa traveled with her family in an adventure van while Peter Cuderman handled day-to-day operations.

At the time of writing, SandiLake has shifted its offerings to include tees for adults alongside its original kids’ line, with a loyal customer base, and has grown to over $1 million in annual revenue.

It should be interesting to see what our next SandiLake Clothing update has in store.

In the meantime, be sure to check out some of our other Season 8 Episode 5 company updates:

• Parker’s Real Maple Syrup Update
• Safe Grabs Microwave Mat Update
• SiliDog Silent Pet Tag Update

Before you go, check out our Shark Tank Season 8 page for more updates