Already a pioneer in the luxury shopping sphere, New York City-based Armarium has tapped into the rise of non-traditional retailing and offers members access to couture and ready to wear runway pieces to rent, as well as the services of a team of professional stylists. And as reported on The Business of Fashion, following a recent round of investment the e-tailer is now poised to evolve further, launching new technology and an enhanced styling service that will also see Armarium’s online experience integrated with a unique in-store retail concept.
Officially launched in 2016, Armarium was founded by fashion industry professionals Trisha Gregory (CEO) and Alexandra Lind Rose (Creative Director at Large). The company counts Carmen and Brown’s Holli Rogers among its founding investors, who also serve as strategic advisors, and it was Carmen who facilitated this latest round of funding by bringing Adrian Cheng’s C Ventures on board – she already works closely with Clive Ng who manages the fund as they both share the same forward thinking vision when it comes to next generation companies and are keen supporters of disruptive ideas.
Armarium’s new platform sees the launch of a new virtual styling service, the ARMIBOT, which captures client information such as body type and style preferences in order to create a personal profile for one of the company’s ‘Style Brigade’. This forms the basis of a customized lookbook, complete with styling notes and suggested outfit options, which is then delivered to the client within 24 hours, via a direct link within the website, by text, or through the company’s mobile app. Through the ARMIBOT, Armarium stylists will also be able to streamline an edit of suggested “Complete the Look” pieces from the company’s chosen e-commerce platforms and luxury boutique websites.
This same digital technology is also being made available in store to a select group of luxury boutiques, where the sales teams will have access to the lookbook platform and Armarium’s full rental inventory. They can suggest any piece from the site to rent, or “Complete the Look” with shoes and accessories.
“Armarium came from my own understanding and industry experience that really showcased the discrepancy between old world values and new world needs,” remarked Armarium CEO Trisha Gregory. And with this merging of e-tail with in-store retail, the company is continuing to blur the lines and meet the needs of today’s new generation of luxury consumers.
Read more about Armarium here.