Can’t decide on what to wear? New app TopShou is here to help

TopShou, a new app by Dubai-based creators is a social app that allows you create a virtual wardrobe and lets users collaborate with friends and experts to put together outfits.

Loubna Ibrahim, co-founder of a new app called TopShou using the app on the phone at her home. Pawan Singh / The National

We’ve all been there. Staring at an overflowing wardrobe, mentally pairing tops and bottoms, but then dismissing every look before realising you’ve wasted several minutes trying to put together the appropriate outfit for work or a night out. That, according to research, is 365 days worth of time spent by the average woman rummaging through her wardrobe.

Wouldn’t you rather put that one year to better use? Dubai-based resident and co-founder of a new virtual wardrobe app TopShou, Loubna Ibrahim, thinks so.

TopShou, which will launch its first phase in the UAE in August, was born out of her own dilemma of assembling outfits everyday.

“I thought I was the only one that found it hard, but then I asked people around me and they seemed to have the same issue deciding what to wear,” says the 24-year-old entrepreneur.

“I did some research on women’s behaviour and felt like technology could be the solution to this daily problem.”

TopShou, which will be introduced first on the iOS platform, is a social app that will allow users to collaborate with friends and experts to put together an ensemble.

After signing into the app through Facebook, users are required to upload photos of the contents of their wardrobe to the app itself. Each photo is then placed into one of the many categories, including tops, bottoms, jackets, dresses, accessories, shoes and bags. From there, users can mix and match items on a canvas, either through a free-form collage or one of the several templates in the app. They can then seek feedback from friends and experts or participate in creating a look from scratch.

“The added value to our app is that if users are confused about what to wear, they can turn to their friends or our experts for advice,” says Ibrahim.

“If I have a business meeting tomorrow, I can put the word out there for help in creating a look.”

Users can look to both friends for help in finding that much desired look, along with in-house experts and fashion bloggers who will assist for a small fee.

The app will be released in two phases. The second phase – destined to be released three months after testing the market — will allow users to earn benefits for promoting certain brands.

“We will have a marketplace redirection through the app, where we will be working with certain brands and vendors for offers to our users,” Ibrahim explains.

There is also money to be made from these collaborations for users who tag outfits under a category dubbed “inspirations”.

“If, for example, a user is wearing one of the brands we have collaborated with and because of them the brand sells a similar outfit to their connection, [users] can [also] make money off the sale.”

The app is currently in its beta version, but Ibrahim is optimistic about its success. The app – which has already been tested – has proven to cut down time due to the ease at which looks can be compiled thanks to the app’s digital platform. Updates to the app will also be ongoing, keeping up with the latest fashion trends in the region.

TopShou draws some of its features from the international app Polyvore. The online platform was developed in 2007 to help users shop for the latest trends by mixing and matching items from a large number of brands.

“We are different in that the mainstay is being able to create outfits from your own wardrobe. So far we haven’t seen anything like it in the Middle East.”

• To follow the launch of TopShou, visit www.topshou.com