Swipecast @swipecast

Startup, New York, NY – 11-50 employees

Swipecast enables fashion designers and retailers to book models, photographers, stylists and hair and makeup artists directly, bypassing traditional agencies, saving 30% or more. The company solves 4 problems faced by fashion freelancers: (1) high commissions (agencies charge 40%); (2) no easy way to network with other fashion professionals; (3) fashion clients often take 4-5 months to pay (Swipecast users get paid right away); and (4) fashion clients in smaller cities outside NY, Paris and Milan have a hard time connecting with "local talent," instead having to fly talent in for jobs.

Swipecast's business model is reminiscent of Uber in that it uses a simple technical solution to unlock a long tail of supply and demand in a large inefficient $50 billion global marketplace. Clients that have begun using Swipecast include Tommy Hilfiger, Proenza Schouler, Marc Jacobs, Saks, Top Shop, FarFetch, Gilt Groupe, Rue La La, Nordstrom, Numero Russia, Interview Magazine and Tom Ford.

August 201525,000 3,000 50,000 monthly run rate88 per mon-Pent-up demand for users to join Swipecast. 25,000 users have applied and 9% have been accepted (~3,000). Users accepted onto the platform have been growing at 16% month-over-month.

-Clients include Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Rag ‘n Bone, Alexander Wang, Prabal Gurung, Saint Laurent, Tommy Hilfiger, DKNY, Tory Burch, FarFetch, Gilt Groupe, Rue La La, H&M…

-Top industry players now actively using Swipecast including 5 out of the top 6 photographers that shoot for Victora’s Secrets: Russell James, Guy Aroch, Greg Kadel, Adam Franzino, Andrew Day.