A company is helping men kit out their wardrobe from the comforts of their sofa, with a team of female stylists that pick outfits to their customer's taste from some 100 brands. The Berlin-based company has already attracted 100,000 customers in just two years, and is now looking at a European-wide expansion.
Good news for the men who shudder at the thought of shopping. There's a much easier way to look dapper now - online stylists.
Outfittery is a Berlin-based company that employs around 50 women, and a handful of male stylists to help men choose their outfits for work and leisure. Co-founder Julia Bosh explains why an online-curated shopping service works.
"Usually men don't enjoy shopping so much, they rather spend their Saturdays with family and friends and watching football than going shopping. So, we take the pain out of shopping for them and just do the job for them," she said.
According to a 2013 study by investment banking firm Goldman Sachs, global e-commerce sales have increased by around 19 percent per year from 2011 to 2013. Men's online shopping now racks up about 963 billion U.S. dollars. And it appears that a lot of men still want a woman's help with their fashion choices.
One stylist from Outfittery, Maria Ahrens, says the key to success is to get to know who she's shopping for.
"You just try to get to know your customer very well. So you can pick the clothes that fit his personal style and of course his current needs."
But on the central shopping streets of Berlin, the opinions about the value of online female stylists are divided.
"No it is not for me. I prefer to find my own things," shopper Thomas Ries said.
In the U.S., a similar company, Trunk Club, is now delivering to 48 states. According to a 2013 study by research company eMarketer, the clothing market is the fastest growing online segment in the U.S. market.