Bye-bye, styling muffle! An interview about personal shopping on the net
For a long time, shopping was just an electronics business or a hardware store for our men. But as soon as we switch to the Anglicisms, the partner becomes deaf in both ears. Shopping? In the city? No thanks! How the man still comes to a stylish wardrobe and the woman without much stress can determine? The magic word is "Curated Shopping", ie accompanied shopping, and is currently making a nationwide name. Platforms like Outfittery, Modomoto or Mode Meister sprout out of Berlin's soil.
How does the service work? Inspired by a successful personal shopping trip with Fashionuffel's boyfriend in New York, Julia Bösch (28) and Anna Alex (27) launched their Internet Business Outfittery in April 2012. Both met at the IT service provider Rocket Internet, Julia was responsible for the internationalization of Zalando, Alex led the product of the Swiss groupbuying market leader. Her brilliant idea: to take the burden of shopping from men . They do this with a service where men answer a questionnaire on the net, make a short phone call with a style expert, and then get a package of personalized attire delivered to their home a week later. Keep and pay only what you like.
We talked to Julia Bösch, co-founder of Outfittery, about personal shopping on the net, the worst styling mistakes and the search for her own type.
How do you know what men want? At Outfittery, almost all women work.
Most of our stylists have previously worked in the retail sector, ie directly at the customer's, and know what's going on well. Inspirations are also important. We draw from blogs, catwalk looks and our environment. Our office is located directly on the Hackescher Markt in Berlin-Mitte, an area full of stylish people and great shops.
And when do you think a man is well dressed?
The main thing is that the man feels comfortable in his outfit. Besides, it's always good to emphasize your own type.
"Own type", and how do you find that?
Sure, it's not always easy to find a style that suits you, and stick to it. This is exactly what our questionnaire and telephone calls with our styling experts are meant to help our customers get to know each other better. A photo is great, but not a must.
Why are many men even dressed so badly?
I would not necessarily say that. The freak is not a model made with us. Mostly it's because men just do not have the time and the desire to deal with their styling. Instead of dragging himself through the city for three hours, the man can be dressed easily and without much effort. A telephone call, an e-mail or a Facebook message are enough.
Should men listen to their women in clothing matters?
Of course, there is usually no way around it. The woman or the girlfriend is an important factor, which is also involved in online shopping . The goods are delivered home, the new parts can be presented and inspected. Especially with new trends or unfamiliar combinations we encourage the man to present himself to his girlfriend and to consult with her.
How do you convince your husband to pay more attention to his clothes?
The biggest argument of the accompanying shopping is the time savings . If the annoying trappings disappear for the man, he is also much more positive about shopping. He shops from home and gets sent an individual box, in which his individual wishes were received.
The worst mistakes?
The classic: black socks in brown shoes. Even wrong sizes are often the problem. If a piece of clothing does not fit, then it also looks bad. Otherwise: What pleases, fits.
Do you have something like a clear selling classic? Which style do your customers prefer?
We buy a wide variety of types - from the 25-year-old Berlin startup entrepreneur to the 55-year-old engineer from Munich. In particular, however, there is the check shirt, t-shirts with patch pockets and chinos in beige or blue.
