Founded in July 2011 by model and former investment banker Olga Vidisheva, shoptiques.com is a new online retailer that marries the originality of privately owned boutiques with the affordability and accessibility of mass-produced brands. Vidisheva, a recent graduate of Harvard Business School, came up with the idea for Shoptiques after she fell madly in love with a pair of pumps at a trendy Parisian boutique.
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"If she wasn't there, on that day at that time in that country, she never would have even known they existed," said Chelsea Sun, NYU graduate and vice president of Shoptiques. "And the more she thought about it, the more she realized that you shouldn't have to get on a plane to find a distinctive piece. So she decided to do something about it."
Thus, this innovative new e-commerce business, unlike anything of its kind, was born. The site is unique because users can browse one-of-a-kind merchandise from dozens of boutiques across the country without ever leaving their homes.
"Shoptiques does all the traveling for you," Sun said. "You just need to decide what you want."
Shoptiques has been featured in Women's Wear Daily, OK!, Shape and stylecaster.com and has a wait list of over 10,000 people. The website, however, has yet to launch officially.
"We just opened an office in San Francisco to cover the up-and-coming West Coast boutiques, and we're working to officially launch the website sometime in the next two months," Sun said. "The ultimate goal, though, is for Shoptiques to be the go-to e-commerce website for one-of-a-kind pieces from all over the world."
The merchandise, which includes everything from clothing to accessories, is in a class of its own. The appearance and cost of each piece set it apart from anything you would find in a New York City storefront window. At Shoptiques the majority of inventory is under $100.
The website also provides innovative search categories so members can navigate the site with ease. In addition to the classic searches by color, price and size, Shoptiques offers two new options: Shop by Style and Shop by Occasion. With choices consisting of Bohemian, Romantic and Street Edgy, Shop by Style allows members to find pieces that reflect their personality. The Shop by Occasion option features choice selections including Date Night, Office and Party Time.
Members looking for inspiration can check out Shoptiques' online magazine called Couture Talk. It features quirky yet engaging segments including Daily Obsession, Boutique Spotlight and Fashion Through Film, all of which are written by members of the Shoptiques team.
Readers of WSN can enter the exclusive WSN access code "NYUVIP" to get a sneak peek at the website before the general public.
