GOAT aka ‘Greatest of All Time’ isn’t just a phrase in one of Drake’s lyrics or a nod to athletes with undeniable talent and accomplishments, it’s also the name of one the hottest sneaker apps.
Created by Eddy Lu and Daishin Sugano as a last-ditch ‘hail Mary’ after a few other failed startup attempts, GOAT is basically Nasty Gal (at its core an e-commerce site for vintage clothes) for shoes. The app is a resale marketplace for people to buy and sell ‘rare sneakers.’ The difference between GOAT and other marketplace platforms? GOAT steps in an intermediary to inspect buyers’ ‘merch’ for quality before it’s delivered to their doors.
According to Recode, during Black Friday 2015, GOAT launched a pretty ballsy strategy to get people to download the app. It offered impossible to get shoes – Kanye West’s Yeezy Boost 350) – at a discounted price. Naturally, chaos ensued. So many sneaker-heads bombarded the app until it crashed. Harsh words from potential app users + 10,000 potential sellers on your waitlist = Mission accomplished!
GOAT just raised $5 million and is looking to transition its wait listed sellers into active users without skimping on quality of service. It’s also looking to make a little bit of profit sooner rather than later.
Check out a video below of a GOAT user’s review of the app. He seems pretty happy about it. What about you? Would you use this app? Tell us what you think in the comments.
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is winding down, but the relationship between fashion and technology is heating up. Moving beyond tradition, the event opened its doors to new sponsors including technology company Intel. This year’s runways reflected the industry’s growing appreciation for tech. For instance, women’s fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff used drones to offer aerial views of her show, and Ralph Lauren turned to Periscope to live stream his latest line’s debut. But, the clear frontrunner when it comes to fashion and tech is wearable technology (“wearables”).
High fashion’s biggest week kicked off with a tech-focused panel moderated by Marie Claire’s Creative Director and Project Runway judge Nina Garcia. Featuring Intel’s Vice President of Wearable Technology Josh Walden and Founder of Chromat, Becca McCharen, the panel delved into the future of wearables.
Marie Claire Creative Director Nina Garcia converses with Intel’s VP of Wearable Technology Josh Walden on the future of the technology in fashion.
Here’s what you should know:
wait, what’s A WEARABLE?
Put simply, wearables are Internet-enabled devices that pick up on information about you as you wear them. Presently, wearables now come in the form of watches (think Apple Watch), fitness tracking bands like Fitbit, smart glasses like Google Glass (now known as Project Aura), etc.
Innovations in mobile technology and computing are accelerating the development of wearables. In other words, the ability to produce microcomputers that can fit in pretty much anything – jackets, purses, rings, etc. – makes the possibilities for wearables endless.
when intel met chromat.
Walden discussed Intel’s latest foray into wearable tech – Curie, a tiny button-sized computer that could turn almost any clothing item or accessory into a wearable. There in lies the foundation of Intel’s partnership with Chromat, a fashion label with an architectural twist. Chromat’s Founder McCharen believes that clothes “should be able to adapt and respond to whatever situation you are in.” This is one reason why she is leveraging Curie in her latest designs for the Aero sports bra with cooling vents and the Adrenaline dress. Showcased at the panel by model vet Alek Wek, the 3D printed dress expands when it senses adrenaline. McCharen, who has worked with high-powered female celebrities like Beyonce and Taylor Swift, admitted that she drew inspiration from animal’s instinctive “fight or flight” mode and wanted to give women that same “visual power.”
Model Alek Wek in Chromat Founder Becca McCharen’s Adrenaline dress.
WHAT WOULD SHERYL SANDBERG DO?
In her 2013 book, Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg reminded us of the harsh truth that, unlike most men, women often feel like frauds, consistently doubt themselves, and literally sideline themselves from the decision-making table in the corporate world. Sandberg inspired, in part, an ongoing movement to promote and encourage women and minorities, particularly in Silicon Valley. Keeping all of this in mind, we found the Adrenaline dress’ inspiration and concept interesting. Will this concept be able to translate to everyday office wear? If so, could this concept be a step beyond power posing to give that extra confidence boost during an important meeting or event?
Walden admits to The Virtual Skinny that it is certainly possible, but there’s more work to be done. As for McCharen, she hopes that her designs will not only empower women but also inspire female hackers and women in tech.
Bringing Fashion to Silicon Valley and vice versa.
Intel is making efforts to bridge the gap between fashion and Silicon Valley. The company has facilitated meetings between engineers and designers to brainstorm ideas. As NY and CA get friendly, Washington D.C. is keeping an eye on wearables, and discussions about how to protect and secure your data collected via wearables will likely develop.
WHAT’S NEXT?
McCharen’s Chromat line will focus on swimwear and sportswear. Walden announced that Intel is going Hollywood and collaborating with TBS and famed producer Mark Burnett on a reality TV show called America’s Greatest Makers. They are looking for the next great product. Prize money is $1 million. Checkout their casting call here.
