How to update your wardrobe and find your style: testing the Collab smart service
Miscellaneous / / April 28, 2023
The author and illustrator of Lifehacker tried to get rid of the problem of "a lot of things, but nothing to wear" with the help of stylists. Let's talk about how it was!
Collab is a smart service for wardrobe management. Its creators promise that it will save those who do not like to shop, buy things that are not friends with each other, or just want to change their look. Technology and professional stylists help you choose clothes and find your style in Collab. The former collect data, the latter study the wishes and make up a multi-brand capsule. There are 12 things in it, from which 4-5 images are assembled. Stylists work with the assortment of the OFFPRICE outlet store: there is both a mass market and premium brands - the client himself decides what price level to focus on. By the way, you do not need to buy all the finds - you can choose only what you like.
To learn more
The service operates throughout Russia. The courier will deliver the parcel with things to the door. In Moscow, selected clothes are also issued in the Collab corner - then a stylist participates in the fitting. For the experiment, we chose the latter option to evaluate all the possibilities of the smart service. Illustrator Olya Molyavko and author Liza Zakharova volunteered to test Collab. Here's what they got.
Olya Molyavko: “Since adolescence, I want to dress “not like everyone else”. But you can’t go beyond yourself.”
Wearing now: oversized, plain dresses, sweaters and jeans.
Wants: emphasize the figure, add bright things and ethnics to the wardrobe.
I'm used to wearing everything wide and grey. It’s impossible to go beyond the limits on your own - it’s psychologically difficult to buy clothes that emphasize the figure. At the same time, since my teenage years, I wanted to dress "not like everyone else." Let's say I like traditional Russian clothes. But my attempts to assemble an image with references to this style resembled a “woman on a teapot”. With the help of a stylist, I wanted to add ethnic elements to my wardrobe and learn how to combine them with taste.
Acquaintance with Collab began with questionnaires on the site. In it, I told in detail about myself, parameters and preferences in clothes. In the same place, I set price limits: I do not skimp on shoes and outerwear, and asked me to pick up the rest of the wardrobe in the most budgetary option. The manager answered in just a few minutes and helped to choose the time of the meeting with the stylist. The fitting of new images was appointed in three days.
The stylist Alena Chuklova worked with me. First, she showed me all the clothes she had picked up and explained how to put them together. From them I chose the options that I liked. As a result, there were six images that I tried on. In parallel, Alyona showed how else you can combine certain things. I had a sundress with me, which hangs in the closet, because I don’t know what to wear it with. We figured out how to combine it with new things.
I was shocked that everything turned out to be so simple. Usually shopping for me turned into a torment: I doubted for a long time and thought about what to wear with the thing I liked. This time I enjoyed it.
In the process of fitting, I had a feeling of joint creativity. The stylist and I found a common language and were in constant dialogue. I asked a lot of questions, and Alena shared interesting tricks. For example, in order to look elegant in baggy clothes, she advised to open the thinnest parts of the body - wrists and ankles.
Alena managed to adapt to my specific request as much as possible, explained how to combine trendy clothes with basic ones, and chose the appropriate options from the store's assortment. I was satisfied and took four things with me: a beige sleeveless trench coat, blue jeans, a pink shirt and turquoise trousers. It took about two hours to try on and analyze the images.
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
When I tried on the images of Collab, I looked in the mirror and liked myself. It used to be the other way around: I went around a lot of stores, and in the fitting rooms I only found fault with my appearance. Working with a stylist teaches you to emphasize the dignity of the figure and helps to become more self-confident. When I left the corner, I had a feeling that I even became taller.
In my opinion, such service saves a lot of time and money. Working with a specialist helps not only to assemble a harmonious wardrobe, but also to avoid impulsive purchases.
I want to try Collab
Liza Zakharova: “In the store, my eyes usually run wide, so I always go to T-shirts”
Wearing now: basic things.
Wants: find your style and try something unusual.
I usually wear as simple clothes as possible - a T-shirt and jeans. I wanted to experiment, but I didn't know where to start. In the store, as a rule, my eyes widen, and I again go to the T-shirts. And if I try on something unusual, it does not suit me. From the Collab stylist, I was waiting for advice in which direction to move.
IN questionnaire On the website, I described the desired color range of clothes, set the price category, marked the looks that I liked, and told me for what purposes I was putting together a wardrobe. This information was enough for the stylist to create new images for my request.
I chose clothes of the middle price segment, but I didn’t add any more restrictions: I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and give the stylist the opportunity to create. In just a couple of WhatsApp messages, my personal manager and I chose a convenient date and time for fitting.
I worked with stylist Ksyusha Vorotnikova. We talked about style, Ksyusha showed me references from fashion shows. It was comfortable to communicate - she listened to my desires, helped during the fitting, explained how this or that image works. It always seemed to me that I have broad shoulders, I tried not to focus on them. But Ksyusha advised me not to be afraid of things that emphasize this zone. She also showed how to combine several layers of clothing. For example, we made an image where a shirt is worn over the bodysuit, and a raincoat is also worn over it.
They picked up quite a lot of things for me - enough for six bows. If desired, these clothes can be combined as you like, so in general, the number of images is limited only by imagination. I had a goal not to go in cycles in one direction, but to try different options - from casual to business style. And so it happened: in every direction, Ksyusha got into my request. Of the proposed items, I set aside a denim jacket, beige trousers, a bomber jacket and a leather jacket for purchase.
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
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Image: Collab / ostrikova.art.foto / Alena Guliyeva / Lifehacker
I liked the way the service works. Everything is fast and convenient. I would advise Collab for those who want to experiment with style or update the look.
I often out of habit chose only what already works. For example, I bought only high-rise jeans. The stylist helped me to discover something new for myself, to go beyond the existing pattern.
This service is also useful if there is no time or desire to go shopping and choose clothes for a long time. The stylist will find cool things and make beautiful bows. You can order home delivery or come to the Collab Moscow showroom, try everything on and buy what you like.
Refresh your wardrobe