It’s a simple idea, but an intriguing one: bundle a basic item of clothing, several versatile accessories and a beauty product together at a price that’s less than what they’d cost individually and offer them up to shoppers as a mini collection that’s limited and capable of quickly selling out. Do this on a monthly basis and partner with beauty and other brands to help keep the collections fresh and stocked with a few surprises.
That’s the basic premise behind Pop Basic, a fashion startup from Wikifashion founder Madeline Veenstra. The company’s beta collection ($65), pictured above, features two necklaces and a polka dot blouse and sold out quickly. The next collection is expected to become available in March, according to the company’s Twitter.
Note that this is not a subscription service or a mysterious box shipment that contains items chosen by a company’s team of stylists – what you see is what you get. But perhaps more interesting is Pop Basic’s plans to offer surprise beauty products from partner companies: that brings the element of suspense that’s fun with mystery boxes, but still allows you to shop in a targeted way and guide your own shopping experience, rather than letting someone else do it for you. I’d imagine different types of shoppers fall on different sides of the mystery box vs. Pop Basic model equation: some are likely to want the shopping done for them, while others will be more willing to embrace a company offering a set price for on-trend items they can see in advance.
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