Moda Operandi, a new online business founded by entrepreneur
Áslaug Magnúsdóttir and stylist Lauren Santo Domingo, has raised $36 million in new funding to launch its e-store.The new website allows consumers to order collections such as
Marc Jacobs and Peter
Pilotto straight from the catwalk or from look books, ensuring they will be the first to wear the designers' new season items. When fashion designers present their latest collections at runway shows and showrooms worldwide, the
M’O team is there to shoot the collection for customers to shop, replicating the exclusive
trunkshows held for industry insiders. The company aims to capture the behind-the-scenes experience with backstage video footage and product shots.
Whilst
Burberry has allowed its customers to order straight from the catwalk for several seasons,
Moda Operandi (
M’O) was the first of its kind to offer a wider service, offering the latest runway styles for immediate pre-order following their presentation at fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris.
Founder
Áslaug Magnúsdóttir previous was a director at Gilt
Groupe, the US flash sales site of designer clothing at discounted prices. Last week
M’O announced a Series C round of financing in the amount of $36 million from venture capital firms
RRE, NEA and
NAV, as well as strategic investors
Condé Nast,
LVMH and IMG.
Currently customers can pre-order resort 2013 collections and spring 2013 pre-collections. With the
menswear shows hot under way, it will be interesting to see if the company branches out to offer men's catwalk designers at pre-order.
