Do you speak Modepass?

the French Caffeine boost in New York

9 April 2009 No Comment

Inspiration, creativity, talent, Olivier Abitbol talks about this social network dedicated to fashion and beauty…

Café Crème: Who created Modepass?

Olivier Abitbol: Modepass was created by Jam’s Brain, to offer a specific place were users can share their vision and their inspiration in fashion and beauty. So many people (stylish, talented, creative) all over Internet are doing great work everyday. They are offering something more fresh and human than fashion magazines do. Showing side by side all this work can give people a new sight.

CC: What is the site strategy? What are you trying to create/achieve?

OA: We want to build a very inspiring and positive community to share their vision of fashion and beauty, not through content like “what are you wearing?”
sites, for example, but through inspiration. Fashion is more than wearing clothes. The most interesting thing is the way you see, you feel, you’re modeling your style. This is our goal: showing concrete way of fashion.

CC: When did it all start?
OA: We are real Social Network and Web 2.0 supporters. The idea that people can be revealed because of their work, talent or creativity is for us an incredible experience. As a musician, movie maker or photographer you can find a way to promote your work, but for fashion there was nothing in France…. and not so much abroad … which is why, we saw people from all over the world opening their Modepass page. We’ve launched Modepass officially on September 3rd.

CC: Why did you call it “Modepass”?

OA: We spent 5 days to searching for a name. We wanted something with 2 syllables, fluid and reflected what we would do. A pass for fashion and beauty. Modepass is understandable in all languages, plus, it’s catchy.

CC: What is your vision and where do you want to take Modepass?

OA: Modepass, like I said, is not ours; it belongs to the community. We are only catalysts for professionals and members of the passionate public who have something to say. Modepass is merely the platform to say it. Here, everyone has a chance. Our work is about bringing out our members’ talents.

CC: The site is really international, created by a French team but gathering members from all over the world.
What do you think it brings to each member? Do you find there is a cultural exchange between members from all over the world?

OA: Yes, it was to our surprise and we love it. It’s exciting that people register from around the world, we often come across a flag we’ve never seen, it’s great.
Overall, yes, this fits well with our vision of the world: a cosmopolitan world with all its fashionable particularities.

CC: Tell us more about the way the site works? How to become a member?

OA: This site is very simple. Once registered, you can create your Modepass page as you wish to include photos, videos, articles, tips, join or create groups. On Modepass, you do not become a star in 2 seconds because you have a good look. Like anything, you get back what you put in, and you will become known for your level of participation.

CC: You have launched the “traveling” piece from a designer? How do you choose the designer? How do you choose the members it goes to?

OA: The idea of “traveling” is to send the same clothes throughout the world to select members of Modepass so that each person can style it their own way. We have created in this spirit of exchange because we think this is a good way to raise awareness of emerging designers… there is such potential for generating compelling, original stories for us, for our members and for the designers.
We started with the brand Heimstone, then the second is that of Eple & Melk, the 3rd is that of Valentine Gauthier which for me is the brand that has the greatest potential.

CC: What other “all over the world” experience have you created?

OA: We have created the “Life-style Paris,” where we proposed to members to create a nice profile page. A jury of 11 persons of the press and television selected the winner, who was then offered a weekend meeting in Paris with creators, and a walk through the Museum of Fashion and Beauty. But like I said, the next event is modepass.com/yourpub which seems to be the most international.

CC: What’s next?

OA: This is my favorite question! Next? What we are doing now?
Often I’ll say, “We already have so many projects!” You’ll see. Still focusing on our members to help them grow, share, discover. We are still working on new tools to match our vision. We’re developing technical tools to share and discover users’ work more easily. Animation tools to develop interaction between users on the site AND in the real life Surprising tools because we can’t tell everything