Germany’s first curated shopping service for women is making the transatlantic leap. Berlin-based styling-focused retailer Kisura said that with the aid of a German start-up accelerator program, it will enter the U.S. market in spring 2016. The company previously received private investment and second-round venture capital funding, and has been profitable since 2014.
Founded in 2012 by Tanja Bogumil and Linh Nguyen, and launched a year later, Kisura now has 60 employees, and says it has served 100,000 customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The international version of the service will be flexible, streamlined and reduced thanks to technical innovations in what Nguyen called the “Curated Shopping Concept 2.0.”
While ahead of the curve in Germany, Kisura now faces competition from Zalando’s Zalon styling service, which bowed in May. In the U.S., firms like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club for Women may already have home court advantage. Yet Kisura is confident its blend of technical know-how and personal service, which includes video calls with stylists, will win new customers.
Kisura said more than 25 percent of its buyers are return customers, including a loyal group that comes each month to purchase three to four items; an average item sells for between 60 and 80 euros, or about $66 to $89 at current exchange.
