Metail set for international expansion

British company Metail, known for developing online fitting room technology, which enables consumers to create a bespoke 3D model of themselves, is heading into 2014 with growth funding and a new chief creative officer as it aims to expand

internationally.

The online body shape and garment fit visualisation company has raised 2.6 million pounds of funding with New World Private Equity Partners (NWPE) leading the round, with co-founders of Perform, Stefano D’Anna and John Gleasure, also investing. This latest round of funding brings the investment in Metail to more than 5.4 million pounds, allowing the company to push forward with its expansion plans.

Commenting on the funding, Metail’s CEO and founder, Tom Adeyoola, said: “This new round of funding enables us to increase our brand awareness and operational presence on a local and international level. It also allows us to expand the development work led by our team in Cambridge.”

NWPE partner, Stephen Altman, who will join the Metail Board as a result of the investment, added: “Metail follows the main consumer trends we have seen over the past ten years; it is a social tool centred in e-commerce that is digitally based, focusing on connectivity and most importantly, it is a scalable global proposition.”

Metail raises 2.6 million pounds in funding

The company founded in 2008 is currently based in London and Cambridge and due to its significant increase in size from 25 staff to 40, due to accelerated product development and a raft of new international business partners, the firm is set to move into a new 6,000 square foot converted warehouse in Whitechapel, East London in January.

Metail has also recently appointed significant new hires, including a managing director of its Asian operation. Kelvin Au will be overseeing Metail’s recent deal with Asia’s leading communications company, SingTel, which will see the Metail technology accessible across the SingTel e-commerce platform, as well as develop a permanent base in Asia.

Au explains: “Our partnership with SingTel has kicked off with the launch of our interactive size advice solution on the Shopify platform. This is a very exciting milestone for us, as it means we can now provide a fully scalable offering, not only to large fashion retailers or TMT providers with established e-commerce presence, but also to smaller long-tail merchants looking to provide a differentiated and enhanced consumer shopping experience.”

In addition, Metail has also appointed Sarah Walter as its chief creative officer. Walter who has held senior positions within the UK fashion media and high street brands including Vogue, Marie Claire, New Look and River Island will be responsible for developing the consumer proposition alongside the innovative technology.

The Metail virtual fitting room is based on 3D visualisation technology and aims to increase consumer confidence and enjoyment in buying clothing online, whilst also reducing return rates for the retailer. In February 2012, Metail officially launched with its first customer, Clothing at Tesco, and since then it has developed an international client base, spanning from Warehouse and the Shop Direct Group in the UK, to Zalando in Germany and Dafiti in Brazil. The company also has a monthly slot on ITV’s This Morning with the segment ‘Take Over the Makeover’.

Metail isn’t the only virtual fitting room service to receive investment this year, Fits.me, who provide a similar service, received 5 million pounds in a round of funding in April to support its accelerated sales and marketing programmes including international expansion into the France, Germany, other EU countries and the USA.

Images: Metail