With so many fashion tech startups popping up constantly, it can be hard to figure out which ones are actually cool and useful, especially when many of them are very similar. Last year, we were inundated with recession-friendly member’s only flash sale sites. This year, it’s all about adapting the methods of Pinterest and Instagram Read more →
In news that does not surprise us at all, the always-stylish Rachel Bilson will be the next celebrity to partner with BeachMint on a new ecommerce site. Bilson follows fellow actresses-cum-designers Kate Bosworth (JewelMint) and Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen (StyleMint) and singer Jessica Simpson (BeautyMint) in collaborating with the social commerce platform. Like Kate, Rachel is working with her friend and stylist Nicole Chavez. And since jewelry, tees and beauty products are all covered, they’re doing footwear! The site, which is set to launch in November, will be called ShoeMint and they are partnering with Steve Madden on affordable shoes.
We love Rachel’s style and have to admit we kind of saw this coming–she was JewelMint’s first guest curator and like Kate, Rachel is one of those actresses who, regardless of whether or not she’s working on anything, is constantly in magazines and gossip blogs because of what she’s wearing. I mean, her most memorable acting role is still The O.C., which ended in 2007 and she hasn’t really fallen off our radar since. Though, her new show Hart of Dixie seems promising (right?).
BeachMint is having a very, very good year.
In October 2010, the internet start-up partnered with Kate Bosworth and celebrity stylist Cher Coulter to launch JewelMint–a members-only site that sells exclusively-designed jewelry by Bosworth and Coulter. Then, in July 2011, BeachMint launched StyleMint–a similar shopping platform, except this time with the Olsens shilling t-shirts. Now, WWD, is reporting that the online powerhouse is ready for its next venture: Beauty.
BeachMint is partnering with Jessica Simpson and celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy to sell anti-aging skincare using the same retail model as JewelMint and StyleMint.
Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen’s StyleMint–which is like JewelMint, but for t-shirts–launches July 1. In a lead up to the debut, StyleMint has put together an animated “fashion statement” which tracks the history of the t-shirt, featuring iconic images from era’s past.
Why is StyleMint so significant? Well, the Olsens aren’t just curating this t-shirt of the month boutique like Sienna Miller and Kate Bosworth have done for JewelMint, they’ve partnered with the company. BeachMint, the Santa Monica-based tech startup, just raised $23.5 million at a rumored $150 million valuation. Which means, if this venture is successful, the Olsens stand to make a good chunk of cash.
We’ve already signed here up for StyleMint. Are you going to?
