Inverted Edge raises US$1.6M to launch e-commerce site for independent fashion designers
Inverted Edge, a global online fashion retailer, announced today that it has raised over S$2 million (US$1.6 million) through initial investments by venture capital funds and private investors.
Founded by Debra Langley, Inverted Edge is an e-commerce platform that provides all the resources to champion new and independent fashion designers who wish to sell to consumers anywhere in the world. What differentiates itself from other platforms is that it works as a one-stop fashion retail advocate: from providing input on seasonal collections and price points, to building brand awareness through global marketing campaigns, and preparing products to be featured on the site. It manages customer enquiries, and sales and logistics, freeing designers from all the complexities of selling online.
Incuvest, Accel X and four other private investors invest USD$1.6 million into Inverted Edge
The funding round is joined by Incuvest Pte Ltd, an NRF-supported Technology Incubation Scheme incubator, Accel-X Pte Ltd and four other undisclosed private investors. The US$1.6 million investment will be used by Inverted Edge to develop a world-class online fashion shopping experience featuring a curated Ready-to-Wear collection from the best of Asia Pacific’s independent designers. Founder Debra told us that these designers are located in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, India and of course Singapore. The website will only be launched in March.
“Inverted Edge launches in March. We have curated our collection from 35 very talented Asia Pacific designers who we believe have potential to appeal to stylish consumers everywhere in the world who are looking for beautiful, wearable fashion with a difference. Today’s wired fashion consumers have access to all kinds of style information, and there is an increasingly sophisticated audience who easily mix unknown brands with high street, luxe, ready-to-wear and vintage. Many designers in Asia Pacific, because of their backgrounds, education and experience, are perfectly poised to serve this customer.” – Debra, founder of Inverted Edge
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For e27, Inverted Edge provides a sneak preview of how the website looks like when it is launched in March:
Team with extensive experience key in securing funding at multi million dollar valuation
Despite having no sales and a pre-launched product, Inverted Edge has secured the US$1.6 million investment. Debra also shared with us that she has assembled a great team, which was critical in helping the company close the funding round.
“We have chosen to focus on building an international platform that showcases our curation of the most talented of Asia Pacific designers to a global audience. In order to accomplish this, we have assembled a team with deep international experience in retail, marketing, technology, and logistics – cross-border is second nature to them – and we have partnered with an incredible group of designers. We feel this combination, and the increasingly sophisticated fashion audience we’ve talked about above, are a compelling proposition. Our aim is to make stylish, wearable fashion synonymous with Inverted Edge and Asia Pacific design talent.”
Debra has more than 20 years of experience developing international businesses in the media, technology and fashion industries in Asia Pacific, Europe, and the USA. Prior to Inverted Edge, Debra was the Asia Pacific President for Borderlinx, an e-commerce venture headquartered in Brussels. She was also the President of DKNY JEANS International, where she developed and grew the brand in Asia, Middle East and Europe.
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