Technology is quickly disrupting one of the oldest industries in the country, fashion. And customization is at the heart of that, whether it’s personalized web fittings or Indie boutique pieces via Etsy or completely customized clothing. Bow & Drape, a company we met in Boston, is ready to rethink the way you shop for dresses.
In essence, Bow & Drape lets you start with a silhouette — A-line, drop-waist, or whatever — and continue customizing from there. You can select the hemline, color, and sleeve length, and add special accoutrements like beads. The site asks for a quick set of body measurements before you get too in-depth to make sure that whatever you choose will fit like a glove.
According to founder Aubrie Pagano, Bow & Drape allows for over 30,000 different dress combinations, so ladies will no longer feel like they’re wearing the same dress as everyone else. A Bow & Drape is a true original.
We tested out the service, and found that the average dress runs between $120 and $180, but the pieces we tried fit very well, and (according to my girlfriend who works in fashion) are made of premium materials.
Being out of Boston, the Bow & Drape dream is to revive women’s relationships to their clothing. Back in the day, the relationship with a woman and her seamstress was very special, and together they would create pieces that were worn forever. Today, we churn out clothing like it’s food to be eaten and digested, and since much of it is the same as what our friends are wearing, there’s no urgency to preserve it as special or unique.
And every Bow & Drape dress is manufactured in the U.S., unlike most of the clothing we buy today from major retailers.
Bow & Drape wants women to take control of their clothing in a way that makes each piece special to own and wear. More colors and customizations are on their way, but in the meantime feel free to check out the already-wide selection that’s available. Shipping takes between two and three weeks, but it’s free. And if you’re worried about fit, there is a Fit Kit warranty you can purchase to make sure the dress fits properly.