Metail, an online body shape and garment fit visualisation company, has raised £2.6 million of funding. New World Private Equity Partners led the round, with co-founders of Perform, Stefano D’Anna and John Gleasure, also investing. This brings its funding total to £5.4 million.
The London-based company was founded in 2008 and develops online fitting room technology.
Consumers create a bespoke 3D model of themselves and simulate the fitting room experience in hope of instilling more confidence in online clothing shopping.
The end of online returns
Users are asked their weight, height, and various measurements to create their virtual selves. At the moment the service is exclusive to women. They can then try on the clothes at partnered retailers and Metail will suggest which size should fit best. You can also alter the skin tone and the hair of the models.
Metail aren’t the only company to be offering a virtual fitting room service.
Fits.me, who provide a similar service, received £5 million in a round of funding in April. Fits.me uses male and female robotic mannequins to mimic any size or shape of body. Photos are taken of the mannequins, wearing retailers clothes, and are compiled into databases to be used online.
Fashion Tech expanding
London-based Fashion Technology is set for an exciting 2014 as companies like Fits.me and Metail, among others, look to expand away from British soil. During Fashion week in September, Tech City News profiled those revolutionising Fashion Tech in London.
With their sights on even further growth, Metail are moving offices from Shoreditch to Whitechapel in January and have hired Sarah Walter as Chief Creative Officer. Walter was previously the youngest Editor at Vogue, Fashion Editor at Harper’s Bazaar, and Fashion Director at Marie Claire.
Commenting on this recent funding round, Metail’s CEO and founder Tom Adeyoola commented:
This new round of funding enables us to increase our brand awareness and operational presence on a local and international level. It also allows us to expand the development work led by our team in Cambridge.