Winners of the FashWire 2022 FashPitch Competition Announced
Industry leaders from fashion, tech, media select Kara Mac Shoes as grand prize winner
SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–FashWire marketplace brands pitched a panel of influential leaders from the fashion, tech, financial and media industries on December 6, competing for cash prizes to help grow their businesses. The results are in and the grand prize winner of the 2022 FashPitch competition and recipient of $10,000 is Kara Mac Shoes, the world’s first, instantly transformable shoe with swappable heel coverings and straps that can be customized for any outfit. Vuliwear and Naked Rebellion tied for second place, and Meghan Fabulous was selected as the Viewer’s Choice winner by the FashWire community.
“Our pitch events are always energizing for everyone involved,” said FashWire CEO Kimberly Carney. “Hearing the stories of the brands founders and their visions for how they want to change their industry and serve customers in their market segments is inspirational. Our judges always face a challenging decision to select the winners, and from this class of marketplace brand competitors, our four winners all have remarkable businesses. I look forward to watching how they put the prize money to use to further their visions.”
The 12 finalists had the unique opportunity to pitch in front of recognized executives and influencers in the retail, financial and tech industries: Amanda Boyle, WWD Beauty Director; Amanza Smith, Design + Interior Expert, Netflix’s Selling Sunset Star and FashWire Advisory Board; Casandra Diggs, CFDA President; Emine ErSelcuk, IPSY & BoxyCharm Senior Vice President, Merchandising; Gary Laney, Success Masters Founder and Best-Selling Author; Hooman Hamzeh, DevelopingNow CEO and FashWire Development Partner; Kimberly Carney, FashWire Chief Executive Officer; and Scott Ivers, Kirke Investments Chief Financial Officer. Deborah Weinswig, Coresight Research Chief Executive Officer and founder, served as the event’s moderator.
2022 FashPitch Competition Winners
1st Place – The winner of the grand prize of $10,000, Kara Mac Shoes, is the world’s first instantly swappable ladies’ shoe from heel to toe. One pair of shoes, sandals or boots can morph into dozens of looks with interchangeable accessories called “candy.” Kara Mac Shoes is on a mission to reduce waste by educating women that owning less but wearing more is possible.
2nd Place – Vuliwear, a unique brand of eyewear artistically inspired by nature, and Naked Rebellion, inclusive shades of luxury lingerie crafted for every woman on earth, tied for second place and will receive a surprise win of $1,250 each.
Viewer’s Choice – Meghan Fabulous, a fashion and accessories designer dedicated to creating art that makes women feel beautiful and confident, earned the most votes from the FashWire community members who tuned into the pitch competition. Meghan was awarded $2,500 in prize money.
FashWire’s B2B2C fashion discovery global platform and shopping marketplace brings forward a portfolio of 400+ emerging and established designers across 45+ countries, in the ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories space.
To learn more about FashWire, download the mobile app by visiting the App Store or Google Play.
About FashWire:
FashWire’s high-growth two-sided discovery and shopping marketplace provides its portfolio of designers and brands vital data into consumer shopping behavior patterns. Giving fashion designers real-time valuable insights through a seamless user experience makes FashWire the digital front runner in consumer global business intelligence. For consumers, FashWire creates a compelling interactive experience by combining immersive swipe voting and social integration to influence the designer instantly. Through its market-leading app and web experience, FashWire customers can shop a curated edit of 25,000+ products, sourced from over 400 contemporary designers and brands from 40+ countries. The company is owned by Wire Holdings, Inc., and backed by a range of all-star private angel investors in the beauty, fashion, and tech spaces. To learn more about FashWire, visit www.fashwire.com. You can find us on social by liking Fashwire on Facebook and following Fashwire on Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok.
Contacts
Laura Baumgartner
Asylum PR
lbaumgartner@asylumpr.com