CALA Introduces Online Collaboration and Production Platform to Power the Future of Fashion

NEW YORK, Dec. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CALA, the all-in-one platform for creating fashion products, today introduced a first of its kind collaboration tool that connects an easy to use design interface with a highly curated network of production, financing and fulfillment partners that are matched based on project needs. CALA's ecosystem enables users to seamlessly create products while having instant, centralized access to their entire supply chain. In addition, CALA provides a la carte offerings including design and marketing consultation and brand strategy.

"Today, many of the world's most creative individuals have an audience and a vision, but lack the access to infrastructure and working capital that is required to make them successful," said Andrew Wyatt, CEO of CALA. "Our vision is to leverage technology to remove these roadblocks, allowing designers to spend more of their time and energy on what they love–the creative aspect–and CALA will take care of the rest." 

CALA's online platform combines powerful collaboration features with practical supply-chain functionality, including: 

• Intuitive project management that allows users to track progress, view status updates and receive real-time notifications when tasks are completed. 
• Contextual collaboration to seamlessly communicate new ideas and feedback to anyone that's part of the design and production process by dropping a pin or adding a comment on a project.
• Transparent, real-time pricing that scales based on design complexity and number of units. 
• Access to a built-in network of technical designers, pattern makers, sample sewers, and global manufacturers.
• Small batch, quick-turn production that allows designers to go from first sample to selling in 6 weeks or less.
• Material sourcing from globally recognized vendors to support a wide range of projects, from silk charmeuse and chunky wool lurex to lycra sourcing for bathing suits. 
• Brand and marketing resources including creative direction, brand strategy, event production, and marketing and public relations.
• Built-in financing options that enable designers to produce and sell their products without a large up-front investment.
• Direct-to-consumer fulfillment offerings that include warehousing, packing, shipping, and returns. 

"The School of Fashion at Parsons has educated generations of illustrious designers and leads the global industry though innovative, rigorous programs and projects," said Burak Cakmak, Dean of Fashion at The New School Parsons. "As such, we're continuously looking for the most innovative tools to bring into our program and we could not be more excited to be leveraging CALA to help our students grow into the next generation of successful fashion designers."

Since March of 2018, CALA has been piloting the initial concept with a curated group of 200+ leading creatives and brands, including A$AP Ferg, Buffalo London, KidSuper, Madeline Poole, Vaquera, UglyWorldWide, Office Magazine and Barragan. More than 90 different product styles have been submitted and over 8,000 units have been made via CALA. 

"Before CALA, we would work with a different factory in a different country every time we did a new order –it was pretty much a mess and basically everything you could think of that could go wrong, went wrong at some point," said Colm Dillaneaka, KidSuper. "We started with just one style on CALA and after our first experience immediately submitted our second and third. Now, when we sell out of a product it takes literally 5 minutes to re-up on our order and it's in our customers hands in weeks! Weeks, not months! It's insane! It feels like we have a twenty-person team now, but it's still just our OG KidSuper squad!"

Pricing and Availability
CALA is available today on an invite-only basis and is free to get started. Customers interested in bringing their visions to life can join the waitlist of over 1,500 creators and designers, here.

About CALA
Founded in 2016, CALA is an all-in-one collaboration and production platform that aggregates everything a creative needs to launch or transform their fashion brand. CALA focuses on accelerating a designer's time to market through technology-enabled, small batch production, creative strategy, financing and marketing support. CALA's in-browser design platform consolidates the entire apparel supply chain in a secure, easy to use interface and matches designers with a global network of production partners to fulfill their specific needs in a fraction of the time compared to traditional apparel manufacturing. CALA is headquartered in New York City with offices in San Francisco and Shenzhen. 

About The New School's Parsons School of Design
The New School's Parsons School of Design is one of the leading institutions for art and design education in the world. Based in New York but active around the world, the school offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the full spectrum of art and design disciplines, as well as online courses, degree and certificate programs. Critical thinking and collaboration are at the heart of a Parsons education. Parsons graduates are leaders in their respective fields, with a shared commitment to creatively and critically addressing the complexities of life in the 21st century.

SOURCE CALA