Virtual fitting room Metail has raised $12m, bringing its total funding to over $20m.
The Cambridge and London-based startup develops technology that allows users to create 3D models of themselves for online clothes shopping.
Consumers can see what different clothes and outfits look like on their virtual bodies before purchasing.
The investment was led by TAL apparel, part of garment manufacturer TAL Group.
Shunning VC funding
Metail founder and CEO Tom Adeyoola didn’t believe that British or European VCs could offer what Metail needed as a business, so chose to raise investment from a company within the clothing industry.
In term of contacts, strategic influence and investment terms, he felt a relationship with TAL apparel would be more beneficial for Metail.
He added that he had “little faith in the UK VC scene”.
TAL produces 1 in every 6 dress shirts sold in the USA.
Ecosystem and expansion
Next for the company is both further expansion into new markets, as well as building a user ecosystem around the virtual fitting rooms.
Adeyoola envisages users being able to see what other people are trying on, and what they are looking at, as well as being able to share and save clothing their virtual selves try on.
He added that the investment was a “great validation on the business model and gives us the fire power to do everything we planned”.
Much of the success of Metail, he says, is down to its “fun and engaging” nature.
In the past year, the startup has worked with House of Holland, Warehouse and ITV This Morning in the UK.
R&D focus
Metail plans to also focus heavily on R&D in the near future.
The team already boasts seven PHDs and wants to improve the size recommendation technology that is part of the virtual fitting room.
Could this be the end of having to return online purchases that don’t fit?