Booming Thai marketplace WearYouWant pins its hopes on Japan's Start Today

Founded in 2011, WearYouWant has grown to become one of Thailand’s leading marketplaces in the fashion space and has also achieved 250-per-cent turnover growth year-on-year, giving the company a solid presence in Thailand, according to co-founder and co-chief executive officer, Julien Chalt. 

WearYouWant sources products from hundreds of physical fashion boutiques and brand merchants all over Thailand, and has built a unique composition of local and international brands that resonates well with Thai consumers. 

“We have reached a level of maturity partnering with a large corporation like Start Today. Tapping into their extensive operating knowledge and network for marketing and sourcing of products will definitely help to grow the business,” said Chalt?.

WearYouWant’s co-founder and co-chief executive officer, Martin Toft Sorensen, added that, given the high demand on the B2B-side of the business from international brands and local distributors, it is vital for WearYouWant to continue to improve its platform and service to merchants.

“We have gained a lot of supplier and consumer traction within the last year. There are more global brands waiting to come aboard with their entire collections. This is why we are working hard now to scale up our capacities and infrastructure in many areas of the business.

Insights from Start Today, which has been extremely successful with a similar business model at a much larger scale, will prove to be a key component of our success,” said Sorensen.

ZOZOTOWN, founded in 1998 and run by publicly-traded Start Today, is a household name and the leading digital marketplace for fashion in Japan. The company today has grown to a market capitalisation of more than US$3 billion (Bt33 billion), with a portfolio of the best fashion brands sourced from prominent retailers across Japan. 

Sorensen said Start Today has also captured a strong lead on mobile presence and innovation within the Japanese fashion sphere with its top mobile application WEAR, a digital asset from which WearYouWant might be able to benefit down the line. 

Start Today’s chief financial officer, Koji Yanagisawa, said the company saw a unique opportunity in WearYouWant. Both businesses are built on the same foundation and strategically aligned on many fronts. 

“We will be following WearYouWant closely on their journey to grow their business in Thailand. Especially their growth and innovation on mobile – the mobile penetration in Thailand is remarkable in this region and we look forward to adding strategic value in this regard,” said Yanagisawa.

Both companies are aligned in their vision to provide omni-channel presence for fashion retailers, and aim to be the best online shopping destination for fashion-minded consumers. This investment will see the two companies working closely in Thailand in the near future.