Art & Style
Keep It In The Closet
Keep It In The Closet
Virtual Wardrobe Helps Keep Fashion Suave Organized
By KELLEE UNDERWOOD
For those struggling to piece together the right ensemble for work or that special occasion, a new computer software application may be the solution to your fashion worries.
Developed by young entrepreneurs Angelique Michelle and Kenicia Cross, iCONIQ is an interactive
computer wardrobe organizer, developer and planner that offers users style guidance based on items in their current wardrobe.
“This program is for everyone to look good, together and sharp, effortlessly,” says Cross. “iCONIQ gives the everyday person the opportunity to have a stylist.”
For $50, users can purchase the application then install the program on their computer to operate. The software application, along with a free 30-day trial, is available at iconiqwardrobe.com.
On the Web, virtual wardrobe services are offered at such free registration sites as myfashionplate.com. However, installable virtual wardrobe programs are more viable for some because of its one-time costs and added features.
The iCONIQ application is user friendly, but requires users to photograph their wardrobe items, including shoes and accessories, and upload them to the program.
After labeling each photo with a description, the user must place the items into three categories and organize the items by type. For example, tops and bottoms should be placed in the main item category, while belts and purses are placed in the sub item category. Once those photos have been categorized, users can create a “Look Book,” that will further sort your wardrobe by work looks, evening looks, weekend looks, and the “mommy” look.
Users can also create a shopping list to on the program to use when purchasing new items for their virtual wardrobe.
The program also has several features that make the wardrobe selection process interactive. For a $5 monthly fee, users can join the Closet Club, which enables members to invite other members to view their wardrobe for suggestions and idea sharing.
Personal wardrobe consultations modeled on style icons Jacqueline Kennedy-Onassis, Dorothy Dandridge and Humphrey Bogart (for men) are also available to iCONIQ customers for an additional cost. For the packages, which range from $20 to $450, a stylist will visit the customer to set up their virtual wardrobe. There’s also the “Swagger” package, which gives customers access to a stylist, who will create different looks.
Two years ago while working as a television producer in San Diego, Cross says she relied on Michelle, who worked as an image consultant and stylist in Miami, for fashion advice.
Cross would send photos from her camera phone and Michelle would reply back with her suggestions on whether to wear certain shoes with a particular outfit, for example.
The calls became so frequent that the exchange became a bit tedious, causing the two fashionistas to think of a different method sharing closets. Soon, Cross and Michelle would develop the idea for the virtual wardrobe.
“We came up with a way for you to see everything that’s in someone’s closet,” Cross says. “That way you can help them make style choices virtually on the computer.”
