E-Commerce Gets Collaborative

Released on: February 25, 2008, 11:27 pm

Press Release Author: Robert McAllister

Industry: Apparel & Fashion

Press Release Summary: Zentrend.com adjudged to be making efforts in promoting
undiscovered designers, unique designer clothing from beaded corsets to silk and
lace dresses right your way in an article by Robert McAllister, Technology Editor,
Apparelnews.net

Press Release Body: By Robert McAllister : Collaboration has been the buzz in B2B
software applications such as PLM (product lifecycle management) and ERP (enterprise
resource planning). Now it's becoming more important in B2C applications. Two Bay
Area Web resources have rolled out separate e-commerce entities that go straight to
the horse's mouth to determine what clothing styles to sell on the Web.

Mountain View, Calif.-based ZenTrend and Emeryville, Calif.-based IndiCustom are
taking similar concepts of using consumer input to sell apparel, but they are taking
different approaches.
ZenTrend (www.zentrend.com) is a collaborative e-commerce site launched last year by
former HP and Symantec executive Lekha Srinivasan. The site offers clothing from
up-and-coming yet undiscovered designers in the contemporary and misses categories
with price tags from $30 to $120. Merchandise ranges from beaded corsets to silk and
lace dresses.

The main thrust behind the business is a new technology called iStyler, which is a
collaborative platform enabling the site's visitors to take the seat of "Project
Runway" judge Nina Garcia to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to designs via fashion
illustrations by the designers. The input received helps determine whether the style
makes the cut into next season's merchandise mix at ZenTrend. Consumers providing
input are entered into a drawing for a prize.

"It gives the consumer more power. They tell us things like 'I really love that
style, but if you offer it in taupe rather than red, I would buy it," Srinivasan
said. "Historically, consumers are never really asked up front in the process of
apparel design and manufacturing. They're pushed into what's available, what the
designer has to offer. I wanted to change that."

ZenTrend actually contracts the production and manufacturing for the garments, using
only illustrations, technical specifications, fit analysis or other pre-production
processes from the selected designers, who receive compensation and are promoted and
marketed through the site.

The company is currently working with several designers from Europe. Designers are
required to have experience working with significant companies as well as have the
ability to create sellable styles. The site features an area where designers can
submit portfolios. And a portion of proceeds is donated to a number of charities.

"One of our visions is to promote these undiscovered designers and try to bring them
to the forefront and provide them with a platform," Srinivasan said. "There's a lot
of talent out there that does not have the capital and resources to get their names
known."


Web Site: http://www.zentrend.com

Contact Details: Zentrend
470 Sierra Avenue
Mountain View
California
United States
94041
Phone: 866-936-8763
Fax: 650-887-0388
Web: http://www.zentrend.com
Email: info@zentrend.com

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