Featured Startup Pitch: Zoolook has jumped into the ultra-competitive style and fashion sector with its app that lets users create their own ‘lookbooks’

Company: Zoolook

Website: www.zoolook.me

Founder: Benoit Levaud

Headquarters: Tokyo

Year Founded: 2011

Investors: Bootstrapped

Twitter: twitter.com/zoolookapp

Facebook: facebook.com/zoolookapp

Brief Company Description: Zoolook is a fashion snap lookbook and style application. It is a place where people can upload their looks or fashion items, tag them with information, and share with their friends.

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By Benoit Levaud, founder and CEO

Product Overview

Zoolook is a fashion snap lookbook and style application. We have successfully launched the app in Japan, collaborating with more than 60 brands including Kenzo, Lacoste, X-Girl, Jeremy Scott, Nicopanda—the brand of Nicolas Formichetti, former stylist of Lady Gaga, and being the official app of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo collaborating on several digital and non-digital events. We just revealed officially the app last week in Hong Kong by organizing a Fashion Live Snap event at the Apple Store of Causeway Bay, which was a really unique privilege. We are one of the most edgy social fashion apps actually gathering many top bloggers and trendy users. Besides Japan, we have expanded like a rocket in Hong Kong. We have also many users from Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and other Asian countries.

Founder’s Story

I worked three years at LVMH group in Paris, then L’Oreal in Paris and Tokyo over 12 years. I launched my own little fashion label in Japan, and that’s how I found the need for gathering fashion lovers on the same platform in order to let upcoming designers and brands connect with bloggers and fashion lovers.

Marketing/Promotion Strategy

We do not work so much on digital promotions, actually. We prefer to organize snap events in collaboration with brands. The quality of users’ connections and involvement with the app is higher. We have organized more than 30 events since the launch of the app. The idea is to be able to convey to our users that a community is also a real community in life. We have so much great feedback after each event where bloggers told us how happy they were to meet other bloggers or fashion-creative people. Meeting for real those behind the profile thumbnails creates stronger links among our influencers. Even if digital is key nowadays in our lives, I am personally a true lover of retail experience and real people gathering. Zoolook is about this—connecting digital and real life around fashion.

Market Opportunity

There are several competitors worldwide, we are not the only one. I respect a lot the work of Pose.com and Trendabl, who are doing a really good job.

How We Differentiate From the Competition 

Zoolook has a little bit different approach than other similar platforms, as we put a lot of emphasis on brand collaborations. We also focus on Asia, where we have recently been ranked in the top three and top four in 14 countries for the best apps for shopping on the Apple App Store. We’ve expanded quickly through different countries in Asia. I like when fashion crosses borders and when people get inspired by other cultures and lifestyles.

Business Model 

We have different revenue streams as brands are involved through different channels like the app, the events, etc.—but we do not do any advertising.

Current Needs

We still have money on hand and we’ve started making money which is good, but we are working on a new round of investment to accelerate our growth and staff the team.

Zoolook – www.zoolook.me