Fashion Geek Alert: Startup Allows Users to Design Own Shoes

In a previous post, The Fashion Grid covered the world's first 3-D printer that actually creates shoes. As innovative as this piece of machinery is, we know the technology has a long way to go before it becomes a staple part of any household. In the meantime, TFG encourages its readers to check out Shoes of Prey. An Australian-based start-up founded in 2009, Shoes of Prey allows its users to become virtual Geppettos, letting them design and customize a pair of shoes which they can then purchase at price points ranging from 100-300 dollars.

The designing process is simple- users pick from 16 styles and then choose the materials and colors they want for each part of the shoe. The materials include cotton, various quality leathers, silk, hair, snakeskin, fishskin, glitter and sequins. The site uses a 3D Web-based platform that allows its users to view what different fabrics and colors would appear as on their designated shoe. Styles are available in flats, sandals, heels, and wedges, and can be designed via computer, tablet, or smartphones. Once the design is complete, you can purchase the shoe and have it shipped to your door. 

With it's new round of funding, including financial backing from TechCrunch founder Mike Arrington, there's no doubt Shoes of Prey will be widely successful. The personalization and innovation of its online service allow users to really engage with the product and feel invested in its creation. We here at TFG know such advacements in the fashion tech scene will only inspire more fashion geeks to continue to change the industry. Who knows? Maybe one day high-end designers like Christian Louboutin will provide a similar online service. Now that would be one fashion geek fairy tale. Make sure to check out the video above on how Shoes of Prey makes the shoes!

Fashion Geek Alert: Digital Hangers Tally Facebook Likes for Garments

Brazilian retailer C&A has brought social shopping into the stores. Electronic hangers are virtually linked to the retailer's website and actually display the number of likes the specific hanging garment has received on the hanger itself.

C&A has adopted this marketing strategy in order to encourage shoppers to make purchases based off an item's popularity. And while it remains to be seen whether the numbers displayed on the hangers are accurate, the innovative technology is one of the first attempts at consolidating E-commerce and S-commerce with its brick and mortar counterpart. Should other retailers implement this technology, shoppers can effectively get the input of thousands of people on a garment while wandering a store on their own, receiving the convenient feedback that consumers can find online while enjoying the traditional shopping experience. Now that's fashion geekiness at its best. 

Fashion Geek Alert: Style for Hire Crowdsources Personal Stylists

Having a stylist is a luxury most people associate with celebrities and wealthy. But thanks to developments in the fashion tech scene, it is now just a click of a mouse button away for all to enjoy. The latest of these sites is Style for Hire, co-founded by Stacy London of from TLC's show What Not To Wear (see video below).

The site has handpicked over a hundred stylists across the country. Users can then search the site and pick a stylist according to style, location, and service. The user can have the stylist put together an outfit for either an event, outing, or day-to-day. The following provides a full menu of the site's services

• Stylist Introduction: Users can check out the prospective stylist with a free consultation.
• Closet Audit: Your stylist will actually review your wardrobe and help you figure out what to keep, what to throw out, and what to fix.
• Personal Shopping: Your stylist will shop with or for you to put together a great outfit and help you find those great pieces.
• Corporate and Groups: A group of stylists can provide services for a styling or shopping party or presentation to a group. 
• Editorial: Stylists can provide you with services for a photo shoot or a runway show
• Shopping Tourism: For traveling users, the site provides the option to plan a shopping trip, where a stylist will you meet you at your hotel and show you the shopping treasures of the city you're visiting.  

These services are extremely unique in the online world. Unlike other sites, Style for Hire ditches the algorithm, style profile quiz model and creates a crowdsourcing network of hands-on, experienced stylists that will actually work with you face-to-face and create awesome experiences fit for a celebrity, but affordable for the everyday woman with prices ranging from $65-$300 an hour.

And if you are a stylist or are interested in a career as a stylist, the site is now currently hiring to add to its fashionable roster. With Style for Hire, fashion geeks continue to find innovative ways to shape the industry and cater to the needs of fashionistas. 

Fashion Geek Alert: Designer Handbag Charges SmartPhone

Nothing can be more frustrating than having your mobile phone run out of battery during your day. And if you're anything like me, forgetting your charger at home is a common occurrence. That's why TFG is excited to discover that designer Richard Nicholl and Vodaphone have partnered up to create a handbag that can charge your Blackberry, iPhone, Android and other tablet devices. 

The handbag is charged overnight by connecting it to a traditional outlet. Once that's done, you place your smartphone or tablet device inside the bag and plug it in to the retractable cable installed in the bag's pocket. The handbag can keep your device charged for up to two full days. Richard Nicholl introduced the prototype during London's Fashion Week and us fashion geeks are just hoping that all handbags will soon follow this fashion tech trend. 

Fashion Geek Alert: Moda Operandi Opens its Site to All users

Moda Operandi has been a favorite of The Fashion Grid since its launch by ex-Gilt exec Aslaug Magnusdottir and Vogue contributing editor Lauren Santo Domingo. The e-commerce site is the first of its kind, selling clothes straight off the runway through a series of three-day trunk shows. Users place orders and the label produces the looks according to the number of orders. Moda Operandi gave its users not only immediate access to fashions, but also provided designers a platform to sell pieces that may not have been picked up by stores like Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus because of the lack of commercial appeal.

Initially the site required users to fill out an extensive application that would have to be approved. When I first applied over a year ago, it felt like I was applying for a job. The application was mainly to provide a sense of security to designers, who were reluctant to have their collections immediately on display and wanted their latest designs to only be presented to an exclusive group that loved fashion. With the growth and success of the site, designers are now relying on Moda Operandi as an integral part of their production process, allowing them to determine which looks and designs are the most popular, and in turn controlling their inventory in their own stores and with other vendors. If you haven't had the opportunity to check out Moda Operandi, TFG highly recommends signing up- especially now that the site is open to all who love fashion.