Remember a full day’s shopping spree? Milling in and out of your favourite fashion stores, spending hours in changing rooms slipping in out of the garments you so eagerly selected? It used to be so much more than simply buying clothes. It was an outing shared with your besties with coffee breaks and long lunches in between.
Covid-19 and the strict lockdowns have forced us to stay home. No more shopping sprees. No more long lunches with the girls. Who wants to go shopping when the mere thought of touching anything makes you want to bath in sanitizer?
With all these restrictions in place it’s no surprise that shoppers have moved online to get their fashion fixes, soon realizing the benefits thereof.
Online shopping opens virtual doors to both local and international brands you wouldn’t ordinarily have had access to. With a simple click to select and click to pay, the latest must-have items would be on your doorstep in no time.
South Africa might still be a fledgling in the digital eCommerce space, the scope for business in this sector is excellent, with Statista.com predicting that South Africa’s fashion scene will grow by 12.8% year on year.
New kid on the block, StyleMode, read the business playbook, when deciding to choose the tail-end of Covid-19 in lockdown South Africa, to launch an online fashion business.
Taking to the digital fashion runway, StyleMode will provide savvy shoppers (male and female) with even more choice on how to dress with flair.
Powered by Loot.co.za, StyleMode enters the market with a range of brands across, apparel, footwear and accessories, and at a price point that will suit most pockets.
Greg Le Roux, CEO of Loot.co.za said: “StyleMode has been on the cards for a while now, as there has long been a gap in the market for an additional fashion platform to challenge the established players in this space. Although Covid-19 has slowed down certain aspects of the economy, we have been heartened by the rapid transition of the South African buying public to online retail brought about by enforced lockdowns, which augurs well for this new business.
“Choosing to launch StyleMode now is not only about creating a commercial advantage for the upcoming summer season, but a commitment to the brands and suppliers we have formed relationships with over the months of developing the business and building the platform, and who deserve the support, in what is still, a challenging economic environment.”
StyleMode comes with an expert fashion pedigree too, having been developed and curated by
Shereen Conrad and Nishai Sookdhew, both respected and experienced professionals in the fashion eCommerce world.
Conrad cut her teeth in high-street fashion before being part of the launch team of two of South
Africa’s currently dominant fashion platforms and will head up the StyleMode fashion squad. Sookdhew, an award-winning designer in her own right, will oversee the design and manufacturing aspects of the private labels – her particular expertise.
Commenting on the launch of the platform and what’s on offer, Conrad said: “It’s been a challenging year for many, so we are looking forward to injecting colour, energy and some positivity into people’s lives with this collection, which will help them take advantage of the upcoming sunshine and Summer season.
“Not only will we present a selection of current items, but the site has been designed to optimise user experience – it is simple to navigate, responsive and offers a variety of payment options to suit most pockets, including a direct debit option.”
StyleMode differentiates itself by also being the first fashion platform in South Africa to launch with its own private label collection, not one, but four of them – StyleMode the label, Miss Mode, La Mode, and ModeCurve – which will be manufactured in Cape Town, by predominantly women-owned businesses. The platform caters to the classic, contemporary, millennial and the plus-sized customer.
A carefully curated stylish capsule collection will be on offer at launch with a significantly expanded range on the cards for 2021. On trend for this season, fashionistas can expect to explore their summer side with flirty pastels and juicy citrus colours.
Tiered dresses, cropped tops, shorts, slogan Tees, and trapeze shapes, with a mix of natural fibres such as fresh cotton, poplins and linen blends, which also make an appearance.
Bang on style and echoing the international fashion fix for a more relaxed look, StyleMode will offer a cool and sophisticated range of loungewear that will be equally comfortable at home, as it will be in the office or a night out.
Echoing Conrad’s upbeat mood Le Roux remarked: “Not only is StyleMode a positive for consumers, offering them more choice to fit their fashion tastes, but it is also a booster for the economy as a whole in South Africa. Choosing to launch at the tail end of what has been an economically devastating year – globally – for business and consumers, is strategic. We have every confidence in the growth of eCommerce in this country as well as StyleMode becoming an established platform that contributes to the development and sustainability of a vibrant local fashion manufacturing sector once again.”
Loot, which itself has seen a sharp increase in traffic and sales in 2020, will provide the backbone, infrastructure and payment options for the new platform, including direct deposit for those without credit card or online activated debit cards. StyleMode will also utilise Loot’s warehousing and/logistics.