SAN FRANCISCO, September 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Azazie Inc. launches the beta version of their website www.azazie.com on September 2nd - an online bridal boutique to reinvent the way people shop for wedding and bridesmaid dresses.
The startup company, based in San Francisco, CA, intends to disrupt the bridal market by providing affordable, made-to-measure dresses amidst an oversaturation of overpriced, off-the-rack selections. Leveraging its proprietary supply chain management software, the company directly connects consumers to the work of artisan tailors, promising a handcrafted gown delivered to their doors in 2 weeks.
The bridal industry is known for its high markups; WeddingChannel.com found that brides spent an average of nearly $1,300 on their wedding dress in 2013, based on a Real Weddings Study of 13,000 brides nationwide. The retail prices have to support the costs of dressmaking, brick-and-mortar operations, and unsold inventory. For that reason, a designer wedding dress normally retails up to 10 times more than it costs to make.
Azazie is determined to alter industry practices by giving women the chance to shop for dresses that are made just for them without breaking the bank. As an industry insider, the company eliminates costs by cutting out the middleman through partnering directly with experienced dressmakers, and operating exclusively online without physical retail. Azazie hopes to reduce the stress of rising wedding expenses by passing these savings onto soon-to-be brides, with bridesmaid dresses starting at $79 and wedding gowns at $149.
Azazie's affordable customization also means that women of all shapes and sizes can freely shop the site. It's made easy through a step-by-step guideline for measuring yourself from home and customers can choose from 300+ on-trend styles, where each is available in 30+ colors. The platform offers a visually appealing and efficient 'shop-by-color' feature for any wedding palette. Customers can also order a tape measure or a fabric swatch for just $1 each to help them along in their decision-making process.
The company hopes to become the go-to online destination for happy brides and happy bridesmaids and plans to expand its selection to other special occasion dresses in the near future.
