Top 10 ideas from Fashion and Beauty over the last 12 months

 We’ve picked out our top ten Fashion & Beauty articles from the last 12 months on Springwise, designed to provide entrepreneurs with plenty of fresh inspiration for the future.

 

1. Online retailer focuses on stylish but modest fashions

We always like discovering businesses that go against the grain, and Mode-sty caught our attention because of its refusal to accept the status quo in the fashion world. While many high street chains focus on the younger and more liberal market to shape their collections, Mode-sty prides itself on stocking conservative items for women who are uncomfortable with revealing garments.

2. Anti-aging products personalized with customers’ stem cells

Many brands have been adding twists to their products that enable consumers to add personalized touches in recent years. However, U Autologous took this one step further with their advanced technology that uses the stem cells of customers to create a tailor-made anti-aging product. The company collects these cells from the customer at a young age and then stores them for use in later years.

3. New DIY appliance enables consumers to make their cosmetics at home

A DIY approach is favored by many in a world where transparency and customization are major selling points. Naturalis may well be welcomed by resourceful types then, as it encourages users to make their own cosmetic products at home. The thinking behind this device is that users can customize products as they see fit, and avoid using scents or ingredients that they dislike or are allergic to. Empowering the consumer is an appealing business approach, and one that may prove popular in this increasingly saturated market.

4. Fabric ink can change the design of a garment on demand

Children often marvel at the “magic” behind Etch A Sketches, where their drawings can vanish with one push of a plastic wiper. Perhaps an adult equivalent is this fabric ink from Refinity, which can be washed away by a special detergent – leaving the garment unadorned and ready for a new pattern or color. For those keen to experiment with their clothing, this could be a useful way of avoiding shelling out for new items on a regular basis. It also means that the ink can be easily removed from a garment before it is recycled, making the sorting of fabrics by color during the recycling process much easier.The company is currently developing an in-house service for printing and removal.

5. Brazilian fashion retailer displays Facebook ‘likes’ for items 

Linking the online and offline worlds is an aim that many businesses dedicate a considerable chunk of their time to. C&A achieved this by displaying Facebook ‘likes’ on the hangers of their clothing. Small screens embedded in the hangers show the increasing tally of ‘likes’ different items of clothing are receiving from the online community. An interesting retail tactic to encourage online engagement while tapping into people’s desire for others’ approval. 

6. Reloadable fabric administers medicine via the skin

While the majority of the innovations we see in fashion are focused on aesthetics, iLoad took a unique medicinal approach to their new material. Their reloadable fabric can administer medicine via the skin – potentially perfect for busy people who may well forget to take regular doses throughout the day. Any innovation that has efficiency at its core is sure to be greeted with interest by time-strapped consumers. 

 7. Modular outfits created and customized with concealed zippers

BLESSUS created a line of clothes that can be modified through zippers in the clothing. Many professional women can find themselves carrying several outfits in their bag to accommodate a clothing change for a night out, so adaptable clothes that can be adjusted to fit with different occasions could be a useful alternative to lugging a number of items around all day. A lightweight innovative approach to fashion fans fond of wardrobe changes. 

8. For every online shopper, a clothing size profile via webcam

Online clothes shopping is an increasingly popular way of purchasing new items without taking a trip to the shops. However, the lack of a chance to try before buying can be a huge downside to this mail order model. Berlin-based UPcload seems to have provided a solution though through its sizing service, which can obtain the specific measurements of its users and then suggest sizes accordingly. If this saves online customers having to return items through the post it can only be a welcome innovation in the fashion world.

9. Jeans connect to social networks

Most consumers today now expect easy access to the web, particularly their social networks, at all times. Denim retailer Replay recognized this demand and responded with their Social Denim range, a line of jeans that includes a small pocket for a bluetooth transmitter so that wearers can link up their smartphones and update their mood on their social networks through the click of a button. 







10. Fashion brand offers discounts based on a shopper’s social influence

In a similar vein to the C&A campaign that makes use of Facebook ‘likes’ to encourage customer purchases, Volga Verdi in Italy encourages their customers to make full use of their social networks in order to receive discounts on items. The more contacts a person has, the higher the discount they can receive. This provides an easy way for retailers to tap into the wider networks of their customers to promote their brand, and encourages customers to spread the word far and wide by increasing their pool of contacts with the reward of discounts.