Innovation & Job News

Love designer gear but hate paying retail? Snobswap offers a solution. The online community for selling and trading second-hand designer clothes and accessories recently hired its first employee. Vera Wen, lately of the World Bank, is serving as the vice president of business development and marketing for the start-up.

"She is going to help build our marketplace," explains Elise Whang, co-founder of the site, "and scale inventory, buyers, and sellers. And she's a natural fashionista, with a great eye."

Snobswap's shoppers create online closets, which they fill with their "preloved" items. "It's a great solution for people who have cluttered closets," Whang states. "You can sell or swap a dress for a handbag that you'll actually use." The model works for shoppers who want designer or luxury items but don't want to break the bank to purchase them.

For Whang, the idea for Snobswap started with a Chanel bag. "I was pregnant with our first child and I was looking for a used Chanel," she explains. "I didn't want the guilt of spending money on a luxury bag, but I also didn't want to feel like I was shopping at a garage sale."

Whang and her sister, Emily Dang, used to hit consignment sales together. When Dang moved away, Whang missed her companionship, as well as her closet. "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be great if we could have virtual closets, so I could swap with her?'" So the two founded Snobswap in April 2012. The company is currently part of the The Fort, a tech accelerator at the 1776 campus in the District.

Swaps on the site are free for customers. Sales generate a 10 percent commission, which, Whang says, mostly covers transaction costs. In the coming weeks, Snobswap will pilot a white-glove listing service, which comes with a 30 percent commission price tag. "It's for people who are too busy to list their own clothes," she explains. "A lot of people say they would use our service but they don't have time to list their items."

Snobswap is also developing a mobile app.