Unmade, a fashion software company, has raised $4m in new funding.
The company’s round was led by Felix Capital and drew the support of Connect Ventures, LocalGlobe, Carmen Busquets, Backed VC and C4 Ventures.
Founded by Hal Watts, Kirsty Emery and Ben Alun-Jones, Unmade seeks to transform both the design and manufacturing processes within the fashion industry, enabling brands to make only what is actually sold.
To date, Unmade has raised $6.7m and is backed by leaders from the fashion and retail industries, such as Sian Westerman, president of Business and Investment Pillars of the British Fashion Council; José Neves, founder and CEO of Farfetch; and Christopher Suarez, co-founder and previous CEO of Nicholas Kirkwood amongst others.
In this instance, Unmade will use the money to grow the business across multiple brands and geographies. The startup is looking to expand its team. It’s already hired Joel Chippendale, as chief technology officer.
Additionally, the Fashion Tech startup is looking to move into new manufacturing methods, venturing beyond knitwear into print as part of a new agreement with Rapha Racing Ltd.
“With this recent investment and the appointment of Joel as our CTO, we’re more focused than ever on propelling the Unmade business forward during this time of pivotal change in the fashion and retail sectors,” said Hal Watts, co-founder and CEO, Unmade.
“Now working with three of America’s top 10 fashion brands, who generate billions in annual revenue, we strive to be an integral part in building a more sustainable and tech-enabled fashion ecosystem through on-demand manufacturing and customisation.”
“There’s a clear and growing need for the Unmade business, at a time when trend life-cycles are becoming ever more rapid, the desire for bespoke customer engagement is at an all-time high and brands are seeking diversified production, along with a strong, loyal community,” added Frederic Court, founder and managing partner of Felix Capital.
“We look forward to seeing the Unmade business pave the way for the industry.”
Unmade has pieces within the permanent collections at both the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Additionally, the company was recently selected from 200 companies to participate in the Lafayette Plug and Play programme.
Robin Klein, general partner at LocalGlobe, explained why his team decided to invest in the business.
“Brands are hungry for digital opportunities that lead to a more efficient and transparent end-to-end manufacturing process.
“With design, technology and sustainability in its DNA, Unmade is the key to that equation, and we’re excited to see more and more innovators in the industry recognise the company’s value proposition,” he concluded.