You want to feel good and look your best at work, and during special events but you have
limited time to go through store after store because of your hectic work schedule made tighter by the horrendous traffic in the metropolis?
Or, you think you simply don’t have the right fashion sense?
Who do you gonna call?
In 2016 Sheree Gotuaco decided to put up Stylists in Pocket (SIP), confident that she can contribute in upgrading the fashion taste of corporate people which she noted has deteriorated due to simply lack of time and the metropolis’ worsening traffic situation.
“SIP was conceived because of the pain points that I have seen in the industry through the years. More and more people have become time poor due to unending tasks, plus the growing traffic. Shopping and dressing up has become inconvenient, and can actually cost more with no one giving practical advice to avoid wrong purchases,” Gotuaco recalled.
At that time, the word of mouth and referrals of its clients helped SIP gain traction and credibility in the market. Being a newcomer, she said SIP had to constantly adjust as information technology went along.
Simply, SIP is an online based styling service that provides a customer a curated closet to shop right at home or online.
Gotuaco did not expect that SIP would be a success and patronized by successful professionals, business owners and their families. The biggest professional client groups serviced by SIP are in the business of banking, law, fast moving consumer goods, insurance, real estate, engineering and education.
In terms of client profile, Gotuaco said, their clients are in their 30’s and above, mid-level to top level in their fields. “We serve their spouses and families as well,” he added.
As a proactive company, SIP has its Our Home Visit service available in greater Metro Manila, but their online styling is also available nationwide.
“Our online stylists are able to virtually style their clients and ship the chosen items anywhere in the Philippines. Best of all, for both home visit and online service, styling is free and the prices of the items are the same as retail stores,” she pointed out.
“We are selective with the partner brands we have. We try to choose a good assortment of brands that represent different price points and occasions to suit our varying clients’ needs,” she narrated.
SIP’s stylists include AJ Reyes, head fashion stylist; Altaire Bautista, fashion stylist; Ana Quintos, fashion stylist; Jam Gascon; Jessica Newfield, fashion designer and fashion stylist; Louisse Esmerna, blogger and fashion stylist; Marj Cabug, fashion stylist and fashion designer, photographer and creative designer; and Yel Waniwan, fashion stylist, makeup artist, photography hobbyist and creative designer.
SIP partners are Ensembles, Just J, The Closet Space Savers Company, Solo, Cortefiel, Women’s Secret, Pink Manila, Elin, Brand Hive, Eriwinkle, Caoros, Gingersnaps, 22BC, Freetown Connection, Springfield, Giordano Ladies, Lavida Moda, Big and Small Co.
Gotuaco cites a good balance of advanced technology, good merchandise selection and great styling as the growth drivers of SIP.
She said companies that avail themselves of SIP for their wardrobe needs get free advice and professional uniforms that fit their image and budget. Gotuaco noted that many of the companies that they are with are looking for more updated designs of uniforms and are tired of traditional silhouettes used in the past. “This is also a pain point of many HR [human resources] heads and teams that we would like to completely solve.”
Aside from its B to C (business- to-customer) model, SIP sees a great potential in the B to B (business-to- business) channel. Many corporations have told SIP they need help in guiding their teams present themselves better.
“Due to this demand, we set up our B to B division to solve this pain point, and save the employees time and money in the long run. We want long-term solutions so that companies can see a permanent effect on their teams. We give workshops together with free consultations to employees as part of dressing them up. We can customize based on companies’ needs and we can work with salary installments, as well,” she added.