Bootyqueen Apparel: What Happened To The Brand After Shark Tank?
Athleisure remains a staple in many women's wardrobes, from comfy yoga pants to exercise dresses. Bootyqueen Apparel took basic athleisure bottoms and remixed them, shining the spotlight on the derrière. The clothing line was founded in 2015 by fitness influencer Amanda Latona and her husband-slash-business partner Steve Kuclo (who had also made a name for himself as a professional bodybuilder) and was inspired by Latona's signature booty-popping pose and #BootyQueen hashtag. Bootyqueen Apparel's curve-hugging workout leggings saw some success early on, with sales reaching $375,000 within the brand's first 18 months. To rev up this growth, Latona and Kuclo went on "Shark Tank" in the hopes of expanding their company.
"Shark Tank" offers entrepreneurs a chance to pitch their business ideas to a panel of high-profile investors known as "Sharks." If they're successful, the entrepreneurs walk away with an investment deal that could launch their product or idea into the mainstream. In their 2017 episode of the reality show, Latona and Kuclo pitched Bootyqueen Apparel to the Sharks, hoping to secure $250,000 in exchange for 20% of their business. Their booty-loving branding won over one Shark, who saw potential in the married couple's small company.
Bootyqueen Apparel found an investor on Shark Tank
Amanda Latona and Steve Kuclo stepped in front of the "Shark Tank" panel and started their pitch by declaring, "Butts are back!" The married duo then explained what made their business unique: Latona was an internationally renowned fitness competitor and cover model, with nearly 700,000 loyal Instagram followers. As she explained to the Sharks, women looked up to her and would wait in line for hours just to talk to her.
When it came time to discuss the Bootyqueen Apparel garments, however, the influencer admitted that there's "nothing special" about them, adding that the bottoms don't lift or pad the glutes. Rather, Latona argued that Bootyqueen Apparel was worth investing in because her devoted fan base would likely buy the products. Moreover, the founders noted that they were able to sell directly to their customers online without having to partner with retailers.
One by one, the Sharks rejected the pitch, citing concerns about the competitiveness of the apparel industry and confusion about the Bootyqueen Apparel brand. Investor Daymond John was the clothing line's last hope. He offered $250,000 for a 33.3% stake in the business, but Latona countered with 25%. After some negotiating, the Bootyqueen Apparel founders accepted John's original offer, and they ecstatically walked off the "Shark Tank" set with a deal in place.
The brand took off after Shark Tank
In a 2021 YouTube video, Daymond John confirmed that the deal he made with Bootyqueen Apparel went through after "Shark Tank" aired, revealing that he saw potential in the company because of Amanda Latona's professional image coupled with the opportunity for upselling (Bootyqueen pants could be used to market fitness plans and vice versa, for example).
The "Shark Tank” deal seemed to boost the brand's sales, though this also triggered some growing pains. In 2017, six months after their reality TV appearance, Latona told Generation Iron, "Life has changed because, first of all, everything's awesome, but imagine taking your business and, like, quadrupling the amount of exposure and everything and business and you still have the same kind of people running it, so it's been [only Steve Kuclo and I] still working." That year, Latona made a cameo in Lifetime's reality show "Little Women: Dallas," where she promoted Bootyqueen Apparel, and in 2018, the garments were featured in a segment on "The Dr. Oz Show."
Over the next few years, the brand continued to expand its product offerings beyond its trademark form-fitting pants to include athleisure tops, exercise bands, and matching sets.
Is Bootyqueen Apparel still in business?
In 2021, four years after appearing on the "Shark Tank" stage, Bootyqueen Apparel was reportedly earning an estimated annual revenue of $3 million, per Shark Tank Blog. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to sustain the business, and Bootyqueen Apparel seems to have since shuttered.
In the summer of 2021, the company stopped updating its Instagram and Facebook accounts. It also shut down its only brick-and-mortar store, located in Plano, Texas. As of 2023, Bootyqueen Apparel also appears to no longer be available to buy online. The business's official website, Bootyqueenapparel.com, is defunct, and its Amazon storefront lists only items that are out of stock.
Amanda Latona and Steve Kuclo's personal lives may have partially contributed to Bootyqueen Apparel's downfall. In 2021, rumors swirled online that Kuclo was cheating on Latona. Later in an Instagram post, Latona shared that she had divorced Kuclo in 2022 and taken a break from social media to heal and grieve the breakup.
What's next for Bootyqueen Apparel's founders?
Amanda Latona and Steve Kuclo's fame and online following were a key part of what made Bootyqueen Apparel attractive to Daymond John on "Shark Tank," but things have changed drastically since then. These days, Latona only sporadically updates her Instagram and TikTok accounts and rarely references her athleisure line (though she still proudly refers to herself as a "Shark Tank winner" in her social media bios). On LinkedIn, the original #BootyQueen is listed as the CEO of Bootyqueen Apparel, meaning there's still hope that she'll pick the business back up again in the future. Additionally, Latona's LinkedIn profile also says she's a sponsored athlete at Allmax and that she's available for hire for marketing, branding, coaching, and public speaking services.
Steve Kuclo, who has remarried and is currently expecting a baby boy with his new wife, also says he's actively working at Bootyqueen Apparel on his LinkedIn profile. However, his website paints a different picture, primarily promoting his bodybuilding training programs and personal merchandise.