Although at this stage I’m uncertain whether to be thrilled or disdainful, according to Fashionista, millions are currently being invested in fashion start-ups and not of the young designer kind. For years, even at the time of their label making the cover of Vogue, it’s been well known Anna Plunkett and Luke Sales of Romance Was Born both worked pub jobs to keep their label afloat.
So for brands yet to catch-up with translating their websites into eboutiques, e-commerce has just taken another wicked turn. For the buyer – it’s amazing. Using Modcloth, a site featuring a throng of 1950′s style tea dresses I can participate in the ‘Be The Buyer’ program which in the name of social merchandising, allows me to both vote for and comment on which dresses are put into production.
In need of a fashion muse and buying guide? Open Sky allows you to follow the purchases made by actresses such as Molly Sims and Kristin Cavallari, foodies Martha Stewart and designer Cynthia Rowley amongst others. Like what you see and your all but two clicks away from making your purchase be it a black feathered skirt or an Eco-Functional iPhone case and the prices are tiny compared to stores.
The Cools is an extension of OpenSky. Follow the Clairins sisters as well as curating your own personalised ‘Cool’ as the site curates products to your taste based upon your previous likes, as well as having a ‘Sell In Style’ section to ensure the revolving wardrobe, so that once the thrill of your purchases has worn off, you can easily list them up for grabs where they’ll be pushed out to other members.
And these are just a few of many. The Cools alone has over $1 million in funding, which for the shopper means exiting times ahead but for the Australian design label still trying to become ‘tech savvy’ and build their SEO or as one lovely designer tweeted today ‘Anyone got any good recommendations for SEO?’ you have to worry how they’re going to survive.