Fashion For The People: New Design Startup Surges on Kickstarter

BOSTON, Dec. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- ShopRagHouse, a new, innovative startup that allows fashion fans to vote on submitted designs, is on the way to reaching its $15,000 goal on Kickstarter and ready to launch a whole new way for women to set their own rules in fashion.

ShopRagHouse is a virtual Project Runway where users get to play the part of designer and judge. It allows fashion enthusiasts to play a hands-on role in the industry, interacting with designers from sketch to dress.  It also allows aspiring designers a chance to get their work directly in front of the people that matter most—prospective buyers. The business model allows designers to get feedback from consumers and build brand loyalty from day one.

The Kickstarter campaign was launched on Nov. 20 and ends on Dec. 20 at 2:30 p.m. The company has raised over 75 percent of its goal, and needs just $3,465 before the deadline. If ShopRagHouse does not meet their goal by the deadline, they will lose the money already raised. The funds will finance its launch collection, which will include up to 12 winning designs chosen by members on the site.

ShopRagHouse was born out of cofounders Bridgette L. Hylton's and Joana Florez's own frustrations trying to break into the fashion industry and having little or no say in the clothes they bought.

"We are really excited to be democratizing the fashion industry. Of course, we'd love to find the next Marc Jacobs, but more importantly, we want to have fun with fashion, because for us, that's what fashion is all about," said Hylton.

ShopRagHouse is unique in that its members decide which dresses and other clothing the company produces by voting on designs and sometimes design elements. The company's first two dresses, the Diana Dress and the Elsa Dress, sold exclusively online for a special Kickstarter price of $145 each at http://kck.st/1iQ8e9W, are the result of member input on the site.

"We envision a community where fashion enthusiasts like us get to interact directly with designers from the very beginning, and vice versa," said Florez. "The response we have had so far is great. We're really excited to have attracted designers from around the world."

SOURCE ShopRagHouse