Topper Luciani Cited by Forbes as 'Entrepreneurial Hero'

Topper Luciani, a non-graduating student from the Class of 2001, has been recognized by Forbes Next 1000 as one of 250 “upstart entrepreneurs redefining the American dream.”

The Forbes initiative “showcases the ambitious sole proprietors, self-funded shops and pre-revenue startups in every region of the country – all with under $10 million in revenue or funding and infinite drive and hustle.”

Topper is the founder of Goodfair, an online thrift store, which lowers consumers' carbon footprints by bringing the surplus of clothing donations back to the market by the bundle. The entrepreneur, now 38, said he moved to Houston, Texas, in 2019 to start the company because “it’s the used clothing capital” of the United States. 

“I have been in the used clothing industry for the last decade. I saw an enormous opportunity in the thrift industry and was lucky enough to catch some incredible consumer tailwinds,” he explained.

Topper attended Hamden Hall from PreKindergarten in 1987 through ninth grade in 1998. He then transferred to Avon Old Farms. Prior to starting Goodfair, Topper said he was “wholesaling vintage to stores and doing wardrobe for television and movies.” Shows such as Orange is the New Black and Girls are the most recognizable series in which he was involved.

According to the Forbes Next 1000 list, which touts “entrepreneurial heroes,” Goodfair received $3.6 million in seed funding in 2020 and has entered its first-ever wholesale partnership with Nordstrom. The company is valued at $13.5 million.

“A majority of the 80 million clothing garments donated by Americans each year ends up burned or in landfills… Leftover clothes collected from textile recycling centers are paired by size and category for purchase,” states the Forbes Next 1000 listing on Goodfair.