About Our Service

I created prêt-à-portel to connect fashion insiders, reward creativity and accelerate innovation. We offer fashion labels exposure to fashion insiders, while providing buyers and stylists a wide selection of unique products. Additionally, we give fashion labels the power to learn what buyers are looking for, and buyers the ability to find unique products they might not otherwise discover.

The traditional model of two seasonal collections and six-month delays between concept and market is outdated. The premium fashion market is evolving to become more diverse, and there are a variety of voices (bloggers, tastemakers and trendy consumers, among others) influencing buying trends. While it is an exciting time to for the industry and a great time to be a designer, fashion labels, stylists and stores need to be more flexible and nimble to navigate this market successfully.

Prêt-à-portel is based on my personal experience launching a women’s fashion label. I entered the fashion world after spending years as a lawyer in a large New York firm. As an industry outsider, I was surprised by how much time and money our label expended on printing look books, sending samples to buyers and managing orders. I want to provide more effective and cheaper access to industry insiders so that design and originality, rather than connections, will drive a fashion label’s success.

Marissa Kim
marissa@pret-a-portel.com
@marissakim on Twitter

In the Press

Photo of Marissa Kim