When I first heard of the Moda Operandi concept, I fell in love with it! Finally, a place where I could pre-order runway items, shop in the comfort of my own home, and…well…get my hands on runway pieces. FLAIR talks to Moda Operandi’s CEO and Co-founder Aslaug Magnusdottir, dubbed “fashion’s fairy godmother,” about the website’s concept, and how it truly is a dream come true for every fashion-forward woman in the world.
By Hend Seif El Din
How would you describe Moda Operandi?
Moda Operandi is an international online retailer that offers unprecedented
access to the world’s best established and emerging designers, and does it
with the highest level of customer service. Moda Operandi provides women
around the world with a special shopping experience that they cannot obtain
anywhere else, and we’re committed to continually expanding upon it. We
just recently launched Boutique, a highly curated selection of in-season
apparel and accessories that will service the in-season needs of our
customers.
What sets you apart from different websites?
Moda Operandi is the first site to allow customers to pre-order from the
entire runway collections of the world’s best designers. While many online
retailers are focused on selling last season’s inventory at a discount, M’O
is focused on selling tomorrow’s fashion today. By directly connecting women
with the brands they love, our customers have access to the special pieces
in collections that often are never produced. Our in-season Boutique
features many of the special pieces that our customers really responded to
in the pre-order trunk shows as well as the must-have more commercial pieces
in the collections. Moda Operandi also offers an unparalleled level of
customer service in that we have a great team of skilled stylists who act as
our primary point of contact for customers. Our customers really appreciate
being able to speak to a stylist who understands fashion design and designer
fit.
How did you come up with the Moda Operandi concept?
Designers kept lamenting to me that many of their favorite pieces in their
collections weren’t being ordered by traditional retailers and therefore
weren’t getting produced. At the same time, friends would tell me how they
loved a certain runway piece but they couldn’t locate it. I wanted to find
a way to connect designers directly with the women who appreciate them and
allow the more special pieces in a designer’s collection the ability live
beyond the runway. I called Lauren and shared my concept with her, and she
immediately got it. Together we launched Moda Operandi.
Did you face any challenges at the beginning?
The first big task was to sign up designers to work with the site. We first
approached the designers that create the most excitement during fashion
weeks in New York, London, Paris, and Milan. We approached a focused list at
launch but are now being approached by more and more designers who want to
be featured on the site. We have since then expanded our effort to include
those emerging designers showing in cities like Sao Paolo, Sydney,
Stockholm, and Madrid because our customers loves discovering new design
talent and we are finding that there are some exceptionally talented
designers who are showing closer to home because of the prohibitive costs in
showing at one of the major fashion capitals.
In terms of fresh faces…do you work with new and upcoming designers
as well?
Customers are increasingly coming to us to discover great new designers
because we have the unique ability to showcase them on our international
platform. We have a talented merchandising team that goes on scouting trips
in cities outside the major fashion capitals, and we’re proud to have been
able to support a group of emerging designers that we really believe in like
Ostwald Helgason, DELPOZO, Josh Goot, and MSGM.
Which clientele do you target?
The Moda Operandi woman is a savvy, sophisticated shopper who appreciates
the craftsmanship and vision of designer pieces, but who may not necessarily
have the time or ability to get to fashion shows herself. Therefore, she
responds well to the site as it gives her unprecedented access to those
special pieces that she may never be able to find elsewhere.
Do you plan on expanding?
Towards the end of 2012, we launched our in-season boutique of products
available to ship immediately.
Our overall objective in launching the in-season business is to cater to the
full fashion needs of our consumers, and to service their immediate shopping
needs. We realize that we are serving a market segment that no one else
services, and we know that they appreciate our commitment to providing a
high-touch customer service experience.
We are also focused on rolling out some new technological features and
expanding on our high-touch customer service elements to make an even more
robust experience for our customers.
Tell me about your “pre-tail” concept.
Moda Operandi is the first online retailer that enables customers worldwide
to pre-order from the entire unedited collections of the world’s greatest
designers. We empower women to make their own decisions about what to buy
from a designer’s collection rather than letting a store buyer dictate their
options for them.
I know that you are a Harvard and Duke graduate, and also hold a law
degree…why did you first enter into the world of fashion?
Growing up in a small country like Iceland, I felt I needed to be practical
in my career choice, so I studied law as an undergraduate and got my MBA
from Harvard. But I always felt most fulfilled when I was interacting with
creative people; and I eventually gravitated to working in the business of
fashion. Later, after getting my MBA and working as a consultant at McKinsey
& Co, I knew it was the right time to work in fashion and retail. I became
an investor and consultant in the fashion space, worked as an executive at
Gilt Group and co-founded TSM Capital with retail legend Marvin Traub. In
May 2010, I co-founded Moda Operandi with Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo
and the site went live in February 2011.
