Over the course of 3 weeks, I completed a lean, exploratory research initiative for a proposed mobile platform for fashion stylists. The findings have been presented and are informing design and feature prioritization for an MVP.

The Challenge

DESIGNR needs a mobile application that will allow stylists and clients to work with each other remotely.

The Research

Explore how fashion stylists work and interact with clients in real life to inform what digital tools will be necessary for them to be successful delivering services through a mobile platform.

Secondary Research - Consumer Behavior

Because consumers are studied thoroughly by many companies and organizations, there was a treasure trove of information. I chose to focus on the intersection of ecommerce, fashion, and consumer behavior.

• Brick and mortar stores are having to reinvent the experience to keep up with the digital experience and incorporate more complex technology while also keeping all consumer touch points consistent. 

• More than 70% of US consumers expect personalization of services online.

• Consumers want to find something special, not something that everyone has.

• 9/10 consumers trust an influencer more than celebrity endorsement or traditional ads.

• Many platforms are turning to big data to create chat bots and other personalized services and recommendations. 

Looking at other platforms and applications in the space, it was clear there were some competitors

Some of the key takeaways:

• Many competitors rely on clients purchasing clothing to generate revenue.

• Only 2 competitors allowed for direct stylist communication and payment for services to stylists by a client.

• All platforms required new clients to fill out a questionnaire as part of the onboarding process.

A total of 6 stylists agreed to share their experiences working with clients in the field. Each interview was about an hour.

Stylists were asked everything from how they source new clients, how they interact and get to know their clients, and how they run and organize their freelance business.

All the data points were used to create an affinity map to see patterns within how stylists work.

Stylists said knowing a client in-person beforehand allowed them to work remotely easier. Getting fit correct was harder remotely. They employed video calls, emails, texts and phone calls to get the job done.

Stylists wanted clients to feel confident, excited and happy about their recommendations. Stylists said fit was the factor that trumps all others.

Stylists generally organize assets for their clients on their own, either lists created in docs or sheets or simple emails.

Almost all have a 30-60 minute conversation with clients to get to know them and their goals. Befriending the client and taking a very personal approach was a common theme.

Stylists often have job opportunities pop up last minute, causing them to keep very flexible schedules. Stylists have wide variations in how much they keep themselves organized. Some stylists use scheduling and invoicing software to manage their business, others do not.

Word-of-Mouth was the most common source of work. Stylists typically charge around $100/hour and typically see 1-3 clients per week.

The Redefined Problem

Kelly Jacobs needs an organized, easy-to-use platform to work with new and repeat clients remotely.

How might we create a seamless, end-to-end mobile platform which will connect her with clients, and provide services remotely?

Our Unique Offer

We want to help Kelly with the hurdles of working remotely by creating a mobile platform that will allow her to help clients from anywhere.

And we are different from our competitors because we will provide the tools for her to be successful in one, all-inclusive mobile application. 

We will know we’ve achieved success when her business grows, there are more clients on the platform, and revenue for both Alexis and DESIGNR increases.

Due to the unique ways stylists and clients interact, it will important to include a variety of familiar tools for communication.

Stylists generally disliked the invoicing and business side of their work, so all invoicing and payment needs to be built into the platform.

Stylists should also have individual portfolios to showcase their best work and connect with clients who like their work.

Next Steps