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<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Girl Meets Dress</span></p><p class="caption">Girl Meets Dress cofounders Anna Bance and Xavier de Lecaros-Aquise</p></div><p></p></div></div>London's growing startup scene is well-known for having lots of finance startups thanks to its close links to the banking world, but that's not the only kind of startup that thrives here.</p><p>The capital also hosts plenty of startups that are catering to the fashion crowd, such as services that offer online personal stylists or allow you to virtually try on clothes. </p><p>We ranked some of London's fashion startups, taking into account total amount raised, headcount, and originality. </p>

The 14 coolest fashion startups in London

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Girl Meets Dress</span></p><p class="caption">Girl Meets Dress cofounders Anna Bance and Xavier de Lecaros-Aquise</p></div><p></p></div></div>Fintech isn't the only kind of technology startup that thrives in London. The capital is also home to a collection of fashion startups that mix technology with fashion products.</p><p>Some startups are focused on creating new clothing using technology, while others let people find clothes to buy online.</p><p>We ranked some of London's fashion startups, taking into account total amount raised, headcount, and originality.</p>

The 15 coolest fashion startups in London

An end-to-end fashion startup called <keyword id="3420510" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="coutloot">Coutloot</keyword> has managed to impress <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/9-tough-questions-Google-Apple-Facebook-ask-in-interviews/articleshow/51454056.cms">Facebook</a> with its offerings. It is helping people sell their branded clothes to buyers who’re interested in buying used, affordable, branded apparel.<br />
<br />
Statistics suggest that only we use only 20 per cent of the clothes we own. ‘CoutLoot’ is trying to give a solution for the 80% unused clothes lying in your wardrobe. The founders call it a curated marketplace service for people to buy and sell authentic, pre-loved and pre-owned fashion, where the seller can earn easy cash for his unused branded items and the buyer can buy the best brands at more than 70 percent off.<br />
<br /> <keyword id="6354576" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Facebook">Facebook</keyword> has recently selected CoutLoot for its developer-focused FbStart programme, which is designed to help early-stage mobile-focused start-ups build and grow their apps. The startup has received access to $40,000 worth of credits and services from Facebook and other platforms.<br />
<br /> Under the programme, CoutLoot would be receive mentoring from Facebook’s engineering teams and services from its partners including AWS, Annie, <keyword id="285445" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dropbox">Dropbox</keyword>, Adobe and MailChim.<br />
<br />
It will also get a chance to access its exclusive community of developers and worldwide events. The programme provides free access to more than 25 services, including open source tools such as React Native, FB Login, Account Kit and App Analytics.<br />
<br />
“We at CoutLoot are constantly striving to make pre-loved and pre-owned <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/New-kid-on-the-block-Postfold-offers-apparel-you-can-wear-both-to-work-and-after-office-parties/articleshow/50030350.cms">fashion </a>reselling a first-of-its-kind experience in India. Although our primary objective is to tackle the problems of scale and quality service in this space, we are focusing on enhancing user engagement and growing the user base. The FbStart programme will be an immense boost to us in this phase of our evolution. Receiving mentorship from the pioneer of social networking presents a huge opportunity for us to lead the fashion re-commerce revolution in India in the next couple of years,” Jasmeet Thind, Co-founder, CoutLoot told media.

Facebook just pumped $40,000 into this Indian fashion startup

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lyst</span></p><p class="caption">Christian Woolfenden.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Christian Woolfenden, the CMO of London fashion startup Lyst, has left the company.</p><p><a href="http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/1372913/paddy-powers-christian-woolfenden-quits-shopping-start-up-lyst">Woolfenden joined Lyst in November 2015 from Paddy Power</a>, where he was managing director of retail.</p><p>Woolfenden is known in the ad industry for his audacious stunts. Most famously, he was the brains behind Paddy Power's "Shave the rainforest" prank which fooled the internet into <a href="https://vimeo.com/101235420">thinking it had cut down trees in the Amazon for the 2014 World Cup</a>.</p><p>Lyst began a series of stunts after Woolfenden joined the company. It <a href="http://fashionista.com/2016/04/lyst-dhl">pretended to have kidnapped a DHL delivery driver in April</a>, and also claimed to be selling puppies online as fashion accessories. <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> ad regulator the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/lyst-puppy-stunt-receives-asa-complaints-2016-5">said it received six complaints</a> about the ad.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Lyst</span></p><p class="caption">Lyst's "Canine collection" prank.</p></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Business Insider recently met with Woolfenden at the Lyst office in East London to discuss his ambitious plans for the company. He was planning a series of television ads and radio spots to promote the fashion company, and there was no indication that he was thinking of leaving.</p><p>Woolfenden had also recently hired Paddy Power's former head of PR Rory Scott to Lyst. Scott remains with the company and is helping lead its US expansion.</p><p>Two sources with knowledge of Lyst's business operations said the fourth quarter of 2016, particularly the Christmas shopping season, will be a crucial period for the company. Lyst has ambitious revenue targets that it needs to meet, and it seems things are coming down to the wire this year.</p><p>Lyst did not immediately provide a comment. Emails sent to Woolfenden's Lyst email address could not be delivered.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-pizza-plastic-table-2016-12">Why pizzas come with that plastic table in the center</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="l5Njd5NzE6oFDDTVjwSd4LMVNLXQfLXZ" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Christian Woolfenden has left London fashion startup Lyst

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>London-based fashion startup Farfetch has raised $86 million in a new funding round, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e20f6c92-c1d0-11e4-abb3-00144feab7de.html#axzz3TQFnkE5F">the Financial Times reports, valuing the company at $1 billion</a>.</p><p>It's the third London tech "unicorn" in as many months: <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/shazam-1-billion-valuation-2015-1">Music discovery app Shazam</a> and <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/transferwise-1-billion-fintech-revolution-banks-2015-1">international money transfer service TransferWise</a> have both also closed funding rounds that value the companies at in excess of $1 billion in early 2015.</p><p>Founded in 2008, Farfetch is an online storefront for more than 300 boutiques across the world. It works with stores in New York, Paris, Bucharest, and Seattle, offering more than 1,000 brands.</p><p>Because it doesn't hold stock itself - products remain at the partner boutiques until purchased online - overheads stay low for Farfetch. It now sees $300 million in annual sales on its platform, <a href="http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e20f6c92-c1d0-11e4-abb3-00144feab7de.html#axzz3TQFnkE5F">according to the FT</a>. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/04/farfetch/">CEO Jose Neves told TechCrunch there are</a> "no plans" to add in-house inventory, and the cash raised will help fund the company's global expansion.</p><p>The low costs of the business may go some way to helping explain the size of its valuation. But even so, it's remarkably high. Boohoo.com's market cap peaked at around £800 million when it went public, which would have briefly made it a $1 billion unicorn. Now Boohoo trades at a market cap of just £272 million. <a href="http://www.businessoffashion.com/?p=116996">Unicorns remain rare in the fashion industry, Business of Fashion reports</a>:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">Asos was never valued at $1 billion as a private company. Neither was Yoox. And though Net-a-Porter, valued at £350m (about $531 million) when it was acquired by Richemont in 2010, is worth far more today, there has been no market transaction - a funding round, acquisition or IPO - to validate this.</p><p>The funding round is led by DST, a VC firm that has previously invested in Twitter, Facebook, Xiaomi and more. Conde Nast and Vitruvian Partners, both previous investors, have both also returned.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/office-fashion-mistakes-men-suit-tie-work-2015-2">10 fashion mistakes men make over and over at the office</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="M4YWVoczqRtWinAZD1X6oPr8bWDrh7KN" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Fashion startup Farfetch is London's latest $1 billion unicorn

<p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Stitch Fix is changing the way that women shop for clothes.&#xa0;<p>Customers of the four-year-old startup never have to step foot inside a store or spend time browsing for clothes on the internet.</p><p>Instead, Stitch Fix stylists send them clothes and accessories each month according to their body types and style preferences.</p><p>Customers can try on the items at home, then decide whether to keep them or send them back.</p><p>Women rave about the service, so I decided to try it out.</p><p><strong>Here's how it works.</strong></p><p>First, I filled out an extensive "Style Profile," which is a survey of my body type, style preferences and budget. The questions involved everything from my height and weight to how often I go out on dates, which jewelry tones I like, and how I prefer my clothes to fit each part of my body.</p><p>I was also asked to rate clothing styles (like those pictured below) on a scale of love to hate and to select my favorite and least favorite colors and patterns.</p><p></p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The survey was so involved that it felt like I was filling out an online dating profile. But it made me feel pretty confident that my stylist would succeed in finding at least a few items that I would buy.</span></p><p>At the end of the survey, I was asked to share a Pinterest board of styles I like, as well as links to my social media profiles. (I opted out of this, even though it would have helped my stylist).</p><p>I picked a shipment date and paid a $20 styling fee, which would be refunded if I kept at least one item from my "Fix." One week later, my box of mysteries arrived.&#xa0;</p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Inside the box I found a pair of <strong>gray jeans ($88), a crochet scarf ($34), a slouchy red shirt ($58), a light jacket ($78) and a black v-neck dress ($88).</strong>&#xa0;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There was also a pre-paid mailing bag for returning unwanted items and a note from my stylist, along with photos of different ways to style each of the items she selected.</span><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Right away, I knew I liked the style of all the items.</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>But after trying them on, I was a little disappointed. The shirt was too long for my petite frame and the dress was made of a thin material that felt cheap and poorly made. </span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">But I loved the pants and the jacket (shown below), and decided to keep both of those.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Every "Fix" comes with five items and if you keep all five, you get a 25% discount on the entire order.</span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>When I finished trying everything on, I logged on to the Stitch Fix website to check out. I selected the items that I would be returning and provided feedback for each item in my order.&#xa0;</span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The company<span>&#xa0;uses that feedback to better inform an algorithm that helps stylists select items for me and customers similar to me, Stitch Fix founder and CEO Katrina Lake later told me.&#xa0;</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>"The algorithm will often be better than a stylist in determining what a customer will like," Lake said.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>The technology understands written feedback, in addition to rating systems.&#xa0;</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">"Our systems need to recommend the maternity line when she says she's in her 'third trimester,' identify a medical professional when she writes that she 'used to wear scrubs to work,' and distill 'taking a trip' into a Fix for vacation clothing," writes Stitch Fix's Chris Moody in a <a href="http://technology.stitchfix.com/blog/2015/03/11/word-is-worth-a-thousand-vectors/">blog post</a> on how the technology works.</span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>The amount of data that Stitch Fix collects on customers is the envy of the entire <keyword id="6354851" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Retail">retail</keyword> industry.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Stitch Fix's buyers, who purchase the clothing wholesale from brands, also benefit from the algorithm.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>"Buyers love working with us," Lake said. "In traditional retail, stores know that some things sell and some things don't, but they don't know why. In our model we actually know why. If we have a sweater that doesn't work, for example, we can isolate whether [the problem] was the color, fit, or fabric."</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>Stitch Fix sources its clothing and accessories from more then 200 brands, six of which are exclusive to the company. The average price point is $55.&#xa0;</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span>The company has more than 1,000 stylists who primarily work from home and the company's average customer is between the ages of 25 and 40.&#xa0;</span></span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Stitch Fix divulges little information on its revenue, but a source told <a href="http://recode.net/2014/06/09/happy-stitch-fix-investors-pump-another-round-into-personal-shopping-startup/">re/code</a> in June of last year that the company was&#xa0;nearing a $150 million annual revenue run rate. The company has raised more than $46 million in funding so far.</span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The company hasn't said how many customers it has, but women appear to love it.&#xa0;</span></span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Here's a sampling of testimonials from Twitter:&#xa0;</span></span></p><div><div></div></div><div><div></div></div><div><div></div></div><p class="embed-spacer"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">When I finished checking out on Stitch Fix's website, I slipped the unwanted items into the mailing bag and dropped it by the post office.&#xa0;</span></p><p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Overall, I thought my "Fix" was a success. I'm a picky shopper and I was pretty impressed that a total stranger could find two items that matched my taste.</span></span></span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-headphones-tricks-2015-2">14 things you didn't know your iPhone headphones could do</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="o2OGM3czpWcydnvhjbkDBd6feXPuExiD" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

This hot fashion startup eliminates the hardest part of shopping

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="13902021" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="andy-dunn" source="Orion">Andy Dunn</keyword> is the cofounder and former CEO of menswear brand <keyword id="13902022" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="bonobos" source="Orion">Bonobos</keyword>.</li><li>In his new memoir "<keyword id="13902023" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="burn-rate" source="Orion">Burn Rate</keyword>," he details one paradoxical challenge he faced while leading the <keyword id="11893303" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion" source="Orion">fashion</keyword> company: He wasn't fashionable.</li></ul><p>How do you run a fashion company if you're not fashionable yourself?</p><p>Andy Dunn recalls finding himself in this very predicament as cofounder and former CEO of menswear brand Bonobos in his new memoir <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?asin=0593238265&amp;platform=browser&amp;postSource=bi%7C62742bbfe1ca0a6e56746c13&amp;postTag=biauto-54879-20&amp;sc=false&amp;type=AMAZON-AFFILIATE-LINK&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2F0593238265%3Ftag%3Dbiauto-54879-20&amp;sessionid=1652205561586g8z8llrq&amp;tag=bisafetynet2-20" rel="nofollow sponsored noindex">"Burn Rate: Launching a Startup and Losing My Mind,"</a> which hit shelves Tuesday.</p><p>In the book, Dunn recalls meeting his Bonobos cofounder Brian Spaly while the two were students at Stanford's Graduate School of Business.</p><p>"We became fast friends and decided to room together at Schwab, the dorm where most first-year Stanford business school students lived," Dunn wrote. "I admired Spaly. He was better at sports. He was funnier. He had more money. He was self-reliant, disciplined, and frugal. I was none of those things."</p><p>As for the most important difference between them, Dunn writes, "What defined our future, though, was this difference: he was fashionable and I was not."</p><p>The two went on to launch Bonobos online in 2007, at first only selling pants before offering other clothing items. Spaly was skeptical about Dunn being CEO of the company because of his approach to clothing, according to the book.</p><p>"Spaly and I were on a run," Dunn recalled. "He made a comment that should have served as a bit of a warning. 'My only problem with you running this company is you're just not that fashionable.' It was cutting and true."</p><p>"But Spaly was right: for a guy running a fashion company, fashion was not my strong suit," Dunn wrote. "I wore weird combinations. We had a thicker orange corduroy pant, with fatter wales, called the F. Scotts. I paired those with a tight-fitting T-shirt I'd bought on eBay, a replica Walter Payton Chicago Bears jersey, matching the orange pop of the Bears' stripes to the pants. As Spaly would say: 'Oh boy.'"</p><p>As the two started building Bonobos, Spaly stepped in to lend a hand with Dunn's sartorial style, the book says.</p><p>"Spaly started buying me clothing," Dunn wrote. "We needed a fashion-startup front man, not a neon orange liability. He went to a Ralph Lauren sample sale and came back with a light purple cashmere sweater, a half-zip cotton pullover, and a prep school black-and-red embroidered jacket. He'd suggest which pants I should wear with each item and advise me on compatible shoe purchases."</p><p>Outside of the book, Dunn has previously spoken about not being particularly stylish. In fact, Bonobos was built partly for men who find themselves in the same boat, he says.</p><p>"I'm kind of the least likely person that you could imagine to be a CEO of a fashion company, and yet at the same time I think it's almost perfect, because Bonobos is really built to make it easier for guys to get great clothes," he <a href="https://www.inc.com/associated-press/bonobos-interview-andy-dunn.html">told</a> the Associated Press in 2017. "We built the brand not only for guys who have great fashion sense, but for guys who need a little bit of help."</p><p>In "Burn Rate," Dunn also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bonobos-founder-andy-dunn-bipolar-mental-health-burn-rate-2022-5">recounts his experience running a business as someone with bipolar disorder</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bonobos-andy-dunn-advice-leaders-with-mental-illness-2022-5">shares his advice for other business leaders who also have mental illness.</a></p>

Bonobos cofounder Andy Dunn describes how he changed his unstylish ways to run a top fashion brand: 'We needed a fashion-startup front man, not a neon orange liability'

<p><span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks"><em>Insider Picks</em></a></span><em> writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.</em></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=63261&amp;urllink=www.thisisaday.com%2F%23%21%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><p class="source"><span>Rent the Runway/Instagram</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>It should come as no surprise that many up-and-coming online clothing startups are based in the fashion capital of New York City. </li><li>While influenced by its rich history of fashion, these 16 startups are also challenging the traditional ways we think about and shop for clothing. </li><li>You can learn more about each of the NYC-based startups below. Then, read up on the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fashion-startups-founded-in-san-francisco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11 San Francisco-based clothing startups that prove the Big Apple isn't the only place where fashion thrives</a>. </li></ul><p>Depending on your level of exposure to the most populous city in the US, New York City conjures a variety of associations: a major hub for finance and media, the stage where theatre and fine dining comes to blossom (or die), or simply that one nightmarish place people cram into on New Year's Eve to see a shiny ball drop. </p><p>New York City is all these things, but you also can't forget its place as a fashion capital. The city is every shopper's paradise, with fashionable people and stylish shops on every block. Luxury fashion brands and legacy department stores line Fifth Avenue, while quaint boutiques thrive in SoHo - but it's a new crowd of fashion disruptors that's making some of the most memorable debuts in the NYC clothing world.  </p><p>These clothing and accessories startups were founded and based in New York, where the city's influence - its cramped quarters, culture of aesthetes who are never caught in a bad outfit, and busy, fast-paced rhythm - has clearly permeated into their business models and products. </p><p>These 16 startups, while influenced by NYC, are also challenging its fashion traditions by <em>not</em> overcharging for things and trading in excess for simplicity and sustainability. New York City will always be a place for fashion - the following retail startups just approach it in a different way. </p><h3>Learn more about the 16 New  York City-based clothing startups that are changing the fashion industry:</h3><p class="tagline"><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p>

16 New York City-based startups that are changing the way we shop for clothes

<p><div class="image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image"><a title_source="Instagram (with permission from user)" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/528e2dca6bb3f7b256bbf0fc-960/kanye-west-at-fancy.png"><span class="click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source">Instagram (with permission from user)</p></div></div>Shortly before <keyword id="39150" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Kanye-West">Kanye West</keyword> performed his first "Yeezus" show in Brooklyn Tuesday night, he dropped by e-commerce startup <a href="http://fancy.com/" target="_blank">Fancy</a>. </p>
<p>In speaking with the staff for about 45 minutes, West spoke about his vision for DONDA, his new fashion startup, Business Insider learned.</p>
<p>We've also heard that West is talking to just about every major VC firm out there, trying to raise money for his startup.</p>
<p>While he did not get into the details of <em>how</em> he'll do it, West says he wants DONDA to become a trillion-dollar company that completely disrupts the fashion industry.</p>
<p>For those of you wondering why it's called DONDA, Donda is the name of his late mother, Donda West.</p>
<p><a href="http://rapfix.mtv.com/2013/10/28/kanye-opens-yeezus-store-next-door-to-kardashians-dash/" target="_blank">Just last month</a>, West opened up his Yeezus pop up store in Los Angeles, Calif., right next door to the Kardashian family's fashion store Dash. </p>
<p>While at <keyword id="6462535" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Fancy">Fancy</keyword>, West also shared some of his thoughts on life, society, and great ideas. He told the team, "Don't be afraid to challenge yourself to say things out loud." West also mentioned how it's important to not get too caught up with one successful idea. Just because you have one great, really successful idea, it doesn't mean you should stop there, West said.</p>
<p>Other takeaways: "Don't be so protective of your self-image," West said. He also mentioned that society as a whole needs to start embracing each other as creatives.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, this wasn't the first time West has hung out with Fancy CEO Joe Einhorn. Last year in August, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/kanye-west-is-hanging-out-at-a-startup-right-now-2012-8" target="_blank">West tweeted about the startup, "Working on the future with Joe Einhorn</a>."</p>

Kanye West Paid A Visit To Fancy, And Said He Wants DONDA To Become A Trillion-Dollar Company 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>During the coronavirus lockdown, the rental <keyword id="6" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion">fashion</keyword> market has slowed. People are going out less, and find ongoing subscriptions expensive.</li><li><keyword id="1179621" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rent-the-Runway">Rent The Runway</keyword>, one of the biggest players in <keyword id="6373481" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="clothing">clothing</keyword> rental, has seen customers leave, and has cut staff pay.</li><li>But British startup By Rotation, which lets users rent clothes from each other, has grown thanks to its variety of clothes and its social features. Its success suggests the fashion rental market is shifting.</li></ul><p>The market for fashion rental skyrocketed during the 2010s. As social media became part of consumers' everyday lives, industry heads capitalized on fast-moving trends and fears of "outfit repeating." Instagram lets others analyze your every move, so people began buying clothes they'd only wear once and then hide at the back of a wardrobe. </p><p>Startup Rent the Runway (RTR) posed a question: Why buy an outfit for each big event when you could just rent it instead? Over the past ten years, consumers have continued to answer, and RTR has grown into a billion-dollar company. But during coronavirus, it's lost some of its sparkle — and the success of a new player, based in London, has shown how the market has shifted.</p><p>A billion-dollar startup launched in 2009, RTR, which was sustainable and relatively cheap, soon became the go-to place to borrow designer clothing. Similar startups emerged in the UK, the Middle East, and China. In March 2019, Bloomberg called <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-03-15/rental-clothing-is-the-future-of-fashion">renting clothes "the future of fashion"</a> — in August that year, market investment analysts Technavio predicted the online clothing rental market <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190820005483/en/">offer average returns of almost 11% between 2019 and 2023.</a></p><p>But without anyone to dazzle in a rented Valentino gown during the coroanvirus lockdown, consumers retreated to sweatpants and slippers. The market is<a href="https://www.instyle.com/fashion/clothing/clothing-rental-or-resale-post-coronavirus"> now expected to decline by nearly half this year.</a> RTR operates on a subscription model, charging $159 a month for unlimited rentals — customers have either been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rent-the-runway-cuts-from-coronavirus-2020-4">cancelling or indefinitely pausing their subscriptions</a>. </p><p>RTR responded by announcing a hiring freeze for the rest of 2020, slashing its marketing budget, and cutting the pay of the leadership team. Another luxury fashion rental startup, Armarium, announced it was ceasing operations on March 7.</p><p><em><strong>Read more...</strong> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/haverdash-review-clothing-rental">I tried Haverdash, an unlimited clothing rental service that only costs $59 a month — it's like Rent the Runway, but with more affordable brands</a></em></p><p>Coronavirus is not the only problem. Vogue Business reported earlier this month that for Generation Z, <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/fashion/gen-z-isnt-ready-to-rent-clothes-yet">fashion-rental platforms that use a subscription model are just too expensive</a>. The market is moving towards resales: People are buying clothes, wearing them once, and then selling them on platforms such as Depop. Globally, traffic on Depop's website has doubled since April 1. June was its best month ever and the business saw triple digit growth year-on-year — more than 20 new users signed up every minute, on average.</p><p>For more evidence of this trend, look across the Atlantic, to where a new rental-fashion startup is thriving. By Rotation is a nine-month-old, London-based peer-to-peer app, where users lend and rent clothes. </p><p>It was set up by founder and entrepreneur Eshita Kabra-Davies after she says she saw a gap in the market for peer-to-peer lending. It's part of the sharing economy, which is expected to reach a value of more than $335 billion by 2025.</p><p><div type="image" title="By Rotation shots" height="4829" width="13058" msid="77244949" hostid="261"></div></p><p>Users can rent a £450 ($584) Jacquemus "Le Chiquito" bag for £10 ($13) a day. By Rotation now has more than 20,000 users, 60% up since lockdown began, and more than 4,000 clothing and accessories listings from a variety of brands — listings are 50% up. It has gained more than 10,000 Instagram followers during the pandemic. </p><p>Kabra-Davies says the reason By Rotation is thriving is, first, because users want a wider selection of clothes than just designer brands (By Rotation has lots of casual clothes, too), and second, because people can make money off more expensive items. One user bought a Jacquemus bag for £200 ($260), and quickly made £70 ($90) back renting it for 10 days.</p><p>The company has also built social features to entice customers — it has reviews, much like Airbnb, to track the quality of what lenders are renting out. Kabra-Davies says her team monitors which listings people are most interested in and what styles are being uploaded to the app. They hope to predict trends in the next few years based on the data. And amid growing concern about sustainability, By Rotation launched an "Impact Scale" that calculates how much textile waste and CO2 they save renting any item, rather than buying it new.</p><p>It's become part-renting app, part-social network. The company uploads weekly style guides, using past rentals as suggested items for things like a "picnic in the park" or a "Cotswolds staycation." Kabra-Davies says that women who use the app are connecting with each other from seeing their rentals — By Rotation has hosted weekly conversations on Instagram Live, named "a glass of wine with," connecting "rotators" to figures in fashion, discussing why they are moving towards fashion rental. Browsing the app, it almost looks like Instagram, except the items on the pages are the users' own clothes and accessories.</p><p>By Rotation's success highlights the ways that the fashion rental market is shifting — and suggests that, for those in lockdown who have no need to dress up, a new friend might be the month's most desired accessory.</p>

A British clothes-rental startup is thriving during lockdown while others struggle, suggesting the fashion rental sector may have shifted for good

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div>Soraya Darabi, 31, and Maxine Bédat, 32, celebrated their startup's first anniversary this week, but the two are not sitting back and relaxing just yet.</p>
<p>The slow-fashion startup, called <a href="https://zady.com/">Zady</a>, is rolling out its first private label, one product at a time - beginning with a knit wool sweater.</p>
<p>Darabi and <span>Bédat started Zady because they were frustrated by the fashion industry at large and wanted to do something to change the way clothing was manufactured, sold, and bought. This idea of slow fashion - timeless clothing that is produced ethically and sustainably - really spoke to the two women.</span></p>
<p><span>"Slow fashion to us is reverting back to an era where things were done better," Darabi told Business Insider. "In our office we joke, 'Slow food, or as our grandparents used to call it, food.' The same joke can be made with apparel. </span></p>
<p><span>"America was once known for its manufacturing and its emphasis on craftsmanship and ability to make things well. The majority of the fashion industry has moved its production overseas. It's about slowing down and thinking about process."</span></p>
<p><span><span>Zady, or the "Whole Foods of fashion" as they like to think of themselves, focuses on both the materials of the clothing as well as the process by which it was made. They're looking to make the industry more transparent, helping consumers better understand where their clothing is coming from.</span></span></p>
<p>Neither Darabi nor Bédat come from a fashion background, but they both bring various skills to the table. Darabi has already succesfully founded another startup called Foodspotting, which she <a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/29/opentable-to-acquire-foodspotting-for-10-million/?_php=true&amp;_type=blogs&amp;_r=0">sold to OpenTable for $10 million</a>. And Bédat has a background in in international law and development, having most recently started a nonprofit called <a href="http://thebootstrapproject.com/">The Bootstrap Project</a>, which helps artisans from impoverished areas preserve their craft traditions.</p>
<p>Over the year, Zady has partnered with brands and designers who promote the same values of sustainability and slow-fashion, but now Zady has decided to get in on the production side too. </p>
<p>The first product Zady will sell, the knit wool sweater, is made of all-natural materials, including wool from the Imperial Stock Ranch in Shaniko, Oregon, a farm that uses a conservation management plan to make sure that it has a positive impact on the environment. The wool will be treated, dyed, and manufactured all in the U.S., which has the highest standards for ethics and sustainability.</p>
<p>"The idea for us in producing our own line was to take our learnings from the brands we've curated over the past year and focus on what we think the brand of the future will look like," Darabi said.</p>
<p>The brands that are featured on Zady all share information about the process of how their clothing was made, but with their own line, Zady will be able to really divulge all of the details they want about how the clothing.</p>
<p>While Zady has had a successful first year, its founders are aware of the challenges, tackling such a large industry.</p>
<p>"Retailers are producing things in really horrific ways," Darabi said. "Our challenge as a small startup was to overcome the goliath that is the current state of the fashion industry."</p>
<p><span><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div><p></p></div></div></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>The cofounders' interest in slow fashion and sustainability dates all the way back to their years together in high school, when they first started thinking about where products come from and how laborers were treated. Darabi even started a club called the Human Rights Advocates, where she asked fellow students to tear out the labels on their clothing to show solidarity with laborers.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>"We were excited when H&amp;M first opened, and I think we both had wonderful discussions about that buying lifestyle - especially with small New York apartments, we had closets overflowing with stuff that was falling apart and we always felt like we had nothing to wear," <span>Bédat told Business Insider.</span> "As we got started on the project and learning how things were made we started sending articles back and forth about the problems in the supply chain, about people being mistreated that are making the final product to environmental issues, there are so many problems with the current system of production that it was shocking that we didn't know these things before."</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>Now the two are thrilled to be able to make an impact with Zady.</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>"It's inspiring to be part of this community," Bédat said. "We're going to be able to see when we turn to this new way, this slow fashion way, we'll be able to feel great about our clothing, feel better about the environment, and dress better."</span></span></span></p>

The Newest Startup From Tech Socialite Soraya Darabi Aims To Disrupt The Fashion Industry One Product At A Time

<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source"><a href="http://www.continuumfashion.com/about.php">Constrvct</a></p><p class="caption">Mary Huang and Jenna Fizel, Constrvct founders</p></div>After sorting through thousands of applicants for its three-month accelerator program, <keyword id="296431" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="TechStars">TechStars</keyword> Boston <a href="http://www.techstars.com/techstars-boston-spring-2013-companies-announced/">recently announced</a> the 14 <keyword id="6362513" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Startups">startups</keyword> in its spring 2013 class. </span></p>
<p>Now in its sixth class, TechStars Boston, has mentored companies like Localytics, Kinvey, and Memrise. </p>
<p>We recently got a chance to learn more about some of the startups in TechStars Boston's current class. Here a few that really stood out. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.checkio.org/"><strong>CheckiO</strong></a></p>
<p>CheckiO is a web-based game world in which you code in Python to advance your expertise in computer programming. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">In order to get to the next level, you need to write code and complete certain tasks. </span></p>
<p><span>The game is designed to teach you how to actually make programs, not just the basics, through problem solving. Since it'</span>s geared toward more advanced programmers, you need to have some basic understanding of coding in order to play. </p>
<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Screenshot</p></div></p>
<p>For example, you might be asked to build a program that runs Tetris.</p>
<p>The programming space is bustling with startups, given the likes of Codecademy, Treehouse, and Code School. That's why CheckiO aims to complement, rather than compete against a site like Codecademy.</p>
<p>CheckiO is still in its early days, but more than 18,000 people have already registered for the service.</p>
<p><a href="http://constrvct.com/"><strong>Constrvct</strong></a></p>
<p>Constrvct essentially lets anyone become a <keyword id="6" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion">fashion</keyword> designer. The company is all about designing clothing for the digital age. </p>
<p><div class="image-container float_left" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source">Screenshot</p></div></p>
<p>"Fashion, I think, is becoming more personal," Constrvct co-founder Jenna Fizel tells Business Insider. "Not just our products, but eventually nearly anything you buy will be custom made to your preferences and shape. I think digital tools will become more and more common, and the experience of shopping will turn into one of co-creation."</p>
<p>Constrvct works by letting people upload images to create a fabric design. It then creates an interactive, 3D model of the garment specific to your shape and size. Next, Constrvct custom prints the article of clothing, then cuts and sews each design. Eventually, they plan to let people sell their designs, created out of their own artwork, to the public. </p>
<p>Prices range from $125 for a t-shirt to $350 for a sheath dress. </p>
<p>"I think there’s lots of interesting stuff around hardware and software mixes and the fact that we can create and print things are fabulous and fun," TechStars Managing Director Katie Rae told Business Insider in a recent interview. "One of our companies here, Constrvct, they’re right at the center of fashion design, CAD (computer aided design), 3d printing, this whole messy, awesome world."</p>
<p><a href="http://freightfarms.com/"><strong>Freight Farms</strong></a></p>
<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:400px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source"><a href="http://vimeo.com/56947019">Screenshot/REEL Entrepreneurs, Inc</a></p></div>Another startup working in this "messy, awesome world" is Freight Farms, which is literally a farm in a box. </p>
<p>It transforms shipping containers into portable farms, and can be installed anywhere — parking lots, school playgrounds, rooftops, you name it.</p>
<p>The containers are insulated, water-tight, weatherproof, and aims to be more versatile and cost-effective than a traditional greenhouse. It makes fresh food accessible in places where the climate doesn't support traditional <keyword id="6386447" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Farming">farming</keyword> methods. Freight Farms' units can grow crops like lettuce, herbs, and fresh fungi. U<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">sers can remotely monitor and control the farming unit from a smartphone. </span></p>
<p>"We all think of communities and agriculture as being outside of the city, but maybe they're inside the city now. How can that change how we eat? How accessible healthy food is? Could you lower the cost structure of healthy food?" Rae says. "And [Freight Farms is] all driven by software. It’s a hardware design driven by software. I love those messy edges that essentially change everything."</p>

Here Are 3 Of The Most Exciting Startups Out Of TechStars Boston

<p><div class="image-container float_right" style="width:397px"><div class="image"></div><p class="source"><a href="http://dannijo.com/about">Dannijo</a></p><p class="caption">Jodie and Danielle Snyder</p></div>Danielle and Jodie Snyder, co-founders of <keyword id="6" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="fashion">fashion</keyword> <keyword id="31199" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Jewelry">jewelry</keyword> line Dannijo, have seen incredible growth thanks to their social media presence. </p>
<p>The sisters inadvertently became coolhunters for jewelry by documenting events like Coachella, Paris Fashion Week, and South by Southwest, and uploading relevant photos to sites like <keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> and Facebook, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/07/fashion/dannijo-sells-jewelry-and-a-lifestyle-a-picture-at-a-time.html?ref=technology&amp;_r=1&amp;">The New York Times' Caroline Tell reports</a>.</p>
<p>“It helps when a brand puts itself out there in a human and personal way with character,” Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey told The Times<span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">. “Often brands are dehumanized a bit and you forget who’s behind it.”</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">The Snyder sisters have also harnessed the power of the hashtag. For example, adding the hashtag #armparty to images of mismatched arm bracelets helped their online bracelet business gain more traction, the sisters told The Times. </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">Another hashtag, #putabibonit, has increased their online bib sales by 20 percent, the Snyder sisters say.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;">“There are aspects of our business that have put Dannijo more in the public eye, and being into social media is one of them,” Jodie said. “But we attribute a lot of our success to being young and open-minded and being part of a changing landscape of marketing and brand building.”</span></p>

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