Listen to this articleIllinois based startup StylePuzzle made a mobile app to provide personalized daily outfit recommendations for users based on their own clothes. StylePuzzle app will give you instant outfit recommendation tailored to your preferences or specific occasion. Here is what Liz Li, Co-Founder of StylePuzzle said about her startup:
Q: Could you tell us your story and something more about StylePuzzle?
A: Our initial idea about StylePuzzle was quite different from what we are doing now. We started off building a Q&A community of fashion for people to ask questions and get fashion advice or tips on what to wear to certain occasions and where to buy specific items. During our idea validation phase, we realized that most users indeed have the problem about what to wear, but waiting for an answer online for hours is somehow frustrating. While the Q&A idea was interesting, there was a bigger problem to tackle. Instant, relevant, and real fashionable outfit recommendations. So we wanted to solve the problem. We certainly feel there is a need for an app. Since the beginning of 2014, we started to develop the instant outfit recommendation concept.
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Q: When do you plan to launch it?
A: At the moment StylePuzzle is still in private beta. People can request for invitations of our beta at our web. The public beta should arrive in a few months, after we have collected enough feedback to improve the App. The estimated time is July or August. We are now busy preparing ourselves for the Student Startup Madness competition which happens during SXSW, and we probably will release more news on launching date during the event.
Q: Are you looking for partnership opportunities or VC funding?
A: Yes, we are looking for seed funding. We are reaching out to fashion bloggers for partnerships to help us attract more users, and we will also look for partnerships with fashion brands in the future.
Q: What’s your monetization plan?
A: Our revenue will come from affiliate marketing with fashion brands. Right now people can shop from 2000+ fashion brands on StylePuzzle, but in the future we will only have a selective roster of brands, mostly focusing on independent designers. Brands can connect with customers on StylePuzzle, and StylePuzzle will help brands to offer customized shopping guidance for their customers.
Q: What’s your favorite feature?
A: My favorite feature is of course the smart recommendation, which keeps getting smarter and more personalized, based on my feedback. I love how the recommendation suits my taste more and more. I deal with many thoughts daily about wardrobe, and spend a lot of time struggling about what to wear. So StylePuzzle is totally a life saver for me, and I think people, especially girls, will definitely need it.
