Nothing to wear? Let an Entrepreneur Help You Out

I have to admit that while I may be online-savvy, I’ve never been interested in online shopping. I know, there are so many advantages to shopping in your pajamas on your laptop: no lineups; no busy parking lots; huge deals on sites like eBay; and a ton of selection. Call me crazy, but I love shopping, even if I have to endure a lineup or two. I love the immediate gratification of walking out of a store with a shopping bag vs. waiting a week for items to ship, and I like being able to try items on to make sure they really do fit like a glove. And when I’m in a bad mood, clicking “confirm purchase” just can’t improve my mood like a trip to the mall with girlfriends.

That being said, some new fashion entrepreneurs are working to improve and diversify the online shopping experience. These sites aren’t just allowing you to browse and purchase – they’re offering unique experiences that going to the mall just can’t offer. Read on to learn about some up-and-coming fashion startups – and try not to exercise your credit card too much along the way.

Empora – German entrepreneur Alexander Straub created Empora after developing visual search technology and realizing that it had broad applications for online shopping. Visitors to Empora’s fashion search engine can find an item they saw on a celeb, or something they’re coveting from the pages of Vogue, and click “more like this” to find similar items in their price range. A perfect way to look like you stepped out of a fashion magazine without going bankrupt.

Beyond the Rack – Montreal entrepreneur Yona Shtern started private online shopping club Beyond the Rack to bring designer sample sales online. Members get the deeply discounted designer items without the catfights and lack of fitting rooms. Once you’re accepted to join the site (there’s a waiting process, though it’s free to join) you can participate in the two-day designer-specific sales. Just make sure you get in early – items tend to sell out.

Rent the Runway – I think every woman remembers the scene in Sex and the City when Jennifer Hudson’s character reveals she’s only renting her Louis Vuitton purse. NYC entrepreneurs Jennifer Hyman and Jenny Fleiss are expanding the designer rental model to clothing with Rent the Runway. It’s a free service that allows users to rent clothes from over 95 designers for a fraction of the price. Items are delivered in two sizes just in case one doesn’t fit, and are sent back in pre-paid envelopes. A perfect way to never wear the same dress twice.

Etsy – Usually you’d have to scour the racks at vintage shops and boutiques to find unique one-of-a-kind items in your city. I don’t have a lot of patience for that, so that’s why I love Etsy. It’s an online marketplace where people can buy and sell handmade items – from jewelry to clothes and more. Sellers have their own storefront, so you can come back to vendors you really like. Admittedly, not all the items are desirable – check out Regretsy.com if you don’t believe me.

Loose Button – Anyone who travels knows how frustrating it is to visit London or other international cities and discover amazing stores that you can’t visit or order from once you return home (I’m still waiting for TopShop to open stores in Canada). Toronto entrepreneur Ray Cao started Loose Button to solve the problem himself – he’s helping make international fashion more accessible to consumer’s one brand at a time. The site already has an impressive lineup of retailers, including Plastic Island, and they only launched in July.

While I’m still not going to turn to online shopping the next time I need a white t-shirt, I will be visiting these sites for their unique value propositions. And if I can support a cool entrepreneur at the same time then it’s definitely more satisfying than a visit to the Eaton Centre.