StyleDiary.net Seeks to Connect the Fashion Conscious Online
5/3/07 – The Los Angeles-area technology community includes a diverse group of companies in a wide range of industries—from the very technical to products and services that bridge technology and usability
for the masses or those with specialized interests. Patricia Handschiegel, for one, has managed to combine a background in technology with a love for fashion in Los Angeles-based StyleDiary.net.
The site combines online publishing with social networking to create a fashion-focused online community in the tradition of MySpace or Friendster for those who want to show and share fashions and related information.
The company was founded in 2004, and founder and CEO Handschiegel says it began simply as an online magazine that included articles with photos sent in from readers.
“I had been working in technology and moonlighting in the fashion industry as a journalist and stylist and thought a site that focused on the style of real, everyday people would have legs,” said Handschiegel.
The real differentiator for the site is the community aspect, which was implemented in May of 2005. StyleDiary is now a fully-formed platform for sharing styles, getting fashion advice, and of course, connecting with other style enthusiasts. Handschiegel says that the site includes entries from people from more than 72 countries.
A quick scan immediately reveals the popularity of the site's social networking features, where users create profiles and upload photos of outfits and fashion purchases, and share wish lists. Users can search these “diaries” to see what others have uploaded to the site.
But Handschigel also emphasizes the editorial content, and says she sees StyleDiary as a media company, not just a fashion-focused social network. Recent articles included “wedding style” and “building a gym wardrobe.”
The sheer number of active personal diaries indicates a solid member base, and while the company does not divulge subscriber numbers, Handschigel says the site gets more than 4.5 million page views a month. Anecdotally, she says industry buyers, designers and trend forecasting firms visit the site to monitor trends.
The company currently relies solely on advertising for its revenue, but Handschigel hinted at new revenue-generating initiatives planned for later this year. The company hasn’t raised outside funding to this point.
StyleDiary.net - www.stylediary.net
