Editors Pick
EDITOR’S PICK: MIISHKA – First In, Best Dressed
- 17th February
- Natasha Sholl 100
What could be better than eye-popping images, one-off pieces and quirky fashion? Adding an element of competition to the mix. MIISHKA doesn’t just bend the rules, it smashes them.
I will happily be beaten in bowling by my nine-year-old nephew. When I run a half-marathon, I’m just in it to get over the finish-line in one piece. But when it comes to yoga, I get my kicks knowing that my Standing Tree is more balanced than your Standing Tree. And if my sponge-cake is spongier than your grandmother’s sponge-cake, my ego gets a boost. I’m illogically competitive in inappropriate situations.
This is why MIISHKA is right up my alley. What’s better than online shopping? Adding a bit of competition to the mix. MIISHKA, which entered the fashion market only 18 months ago, is the brainchild of Michelle Glitman, who combined her obsession with vintage fashion and her experience as a stylist to create the brand. MIISHKA utilises global networks and connections to bring new designer and vintage pieces each week. The catch is, MIISHKA is all about one-(or two)-of-a-kind fashion.
MIISHKA is different to your average online store because it has built a recognised brand through Facebook alone. The Facebook albums showcase a mix of delicious, quirky and unique pieces. There’s no scrolling through categories of dresses or shirts. MIISHKA features the latest arrivals and specifies which sizes are available. If you want what’s on offer, you write “sold” underneath the image and email mish@miishka.com for confirmation and payment details. First clicked, best dressed. It’s what gets my heart-rate going a little faster.
A quick flick through past albums, and it’s like watching a race replay. New Cha Cha dress. Size Small. $95. And the responses flood in. Sold! Sold! Sold Please. “One Left,” MIISHKA tells us. And SOLD. Another potential buyer has just missed out by a few seconds. The pressure is thrilling!
Yes, MIISHKA stands out because it appeals to my love of all things off-centre and unique. Its use of visual merchandising and clear product shots also make it more user-friendly than even some of the biggest online department stores. But what really wins me over is that it appeals to my inner child – the one that used to stick my hand up in class the highest and say “me, me, pick me!” (In hindsight I was probably very annoying, but now that these skills can be transferred to shopping, it’s worth it.)
The business model means you need to keep up to date and check-in to the site to make sure you don’t miss any lust-worthy new arrivals. Fine by me! There are over 45,000 Facebook fans (and counting) so it’s obviously fine by a lot of other people too!
The site ran a Valentine’s Day Giveaway where fans simply needed to comment on which colour heart-shape dress they liked best and share the image with their Facebook friends. While many other retailers reported lacklustre love on Valentine’s Day, MIISHKA saw over 4,500 entries over a nine hour period. That’s one entry every six seconds.
That MIISHKA is a shopper’s dream is slightly counter-intuitive. It breaks many of the rules when it comes to getting through the check-out process. (Shopping basket? What shopping basket!?) However this is precisely what makes it work. Many online retailers don’t see Facebook as a way to make money, but rather as a way to communicate with customers. Glitman tells us that when it comes to Facebook, return on investment shouldn’t be overlooked. “If you have an idea for a business or already run one, Facebook contains your entire demographic, you just need to know how to tap into that,” she says. “I tell anyone who has a business that if you’re not on Facebook, you’re nowhere.”
Word on the street is that a webstore is opening in March, utilising the strong Facebook following to open with an existing customer base. Hold on…don’t online stores open first and then build up a fan-base? MIISHKA doesn’t seem to be one to follow the rules when it comes to fashion or business.
Apart from the Facebook site, MIISHKA uses Pinterest and also has a blog filled with inspirational images and fashion-porn just daring you to shop. This clever content gives MIISHKA an edge and shows that it’s ahead of the game when it comes to utilising the array of social media platforms on offer.
So what’s the secret to MIISHKA’s success? “I think the key has been an equal mix of interpreting trends, listening to, interacting and understanding the fans, an amazing team and being completely smitten with fashion in general,” Glitman says. Well, I’m pretty smitten too. Now, back to the blog so I can scan through Glitman’s wedding photos posted last week. Guilty pleasure #463.
